Something in this Zombieland
by BumbleLellie
Summary: Beth and Daryl are combatting zombies, friendship and the past. Only, how long can either go it alone? Let's see how our favourite Bethyl characters learn to live with each-other and their demons.
1. Chapter 1

**I was unbelievably astounded at the lovely responses that I got for my first story, you are all lovely people. So much so, that I have picked up my writing pen again (metaphorically) to try my hand at another Beth/Daryl story. I shall be totally honest in saying, unlike the last, I have absolutely no idea where this is going- I mean seriously I wrote the other one backwards. Suggestions are welcome and enjoy! **

There must be more to her. She must be, I don't know, feisty underneath all that sweetness. She must have something. Mustn't she? Or why would a guy like that, want a girl like her? Maybe he's playing her, maybe she's playing us or maybe he can see something we can't.

She slows him down. In this world you can't be slowed down.

If you leave the safety of being locked in, the early morning the streets look like they did before. You can almost believe the people are alive, you can almost imagine them rushing out to work calling greetings to their neighbours. That's idealised. They probably called out to their wives some lame excuse about a meeting after work, when really they're screwing their personal assistant. What I'd give to see a cheating husband. What I'd give to see anyone. Alive I mean.

3 years. That's 3 Christmases. Last winter it snowed, so I decided that day was Christmas. My group-because I had a group then- we gave each-other gifts: jewellery stolen from dead undead corpses, new backpacks, a jar of peanut butter. You know, the luxury stuff. Their group was doing the same thing, back when they had a group. Herschel, the old wise man of the group, filled in the festivities with his biblical stories. His youngest, Beth, sang songs she remembered, and helped Carol pull together a Christmas meal from odds and ends.

You miss it. Things like that, company and food and laughter. Before all this shit we would all roll our eyes and say 'Christmas is all about family', but you don't mean it. Unless you're still breathing now.

Daryl is the one who hunts. You can see it in his muscles and the way he holds himself so still, like a deer, waiting to fight or run. He's expecting danger, always.

There he is now, crouched in the wood, waiting. He'll catch something, he knows he has to, for both of them. The green foliage is probably covering old blood stains, in this world you're lucky to find a place free from any guts or gore, but in this place at least, nature is taking back over. It's why Daryl likes the woods, you can, for a moment, believe that all of the messed up zombies aren't real.

They cope better than most. He catches meat, fish and autumn fruit from ancient trees. Her jobs are better explained as organising, holding down the fort and trying to plan. She jars fruit compotes using a fire and salts meat to last longer, stocking them up for the harsh winters when all the animals go to sleep and even Daryl can't forage much. This year has to be better than the last.

It wasn't long after Christmas when the Governor hit the prison and everyone was forced to flee like rats leaving a ship. They took not what they could, but who they could. Because materials mean nothing in this world. Beth was running looking for Judith, but the small child couldn't be seen anywhere. And there was no way of seeking without everyone, walkers included, standing still momentarily, so she could weave in and out searching.

But the walkers kept on coming. And the frantic yells and pricked up ears to hear any high-pitched ass-kicker noise were being shown as pointless, totally pointless. A baby lost in man-made chaos. But the walkers kept on coming.

Body, after body was thrown to the floor. And that was, believe me, a great feat for the petite and untrained girl, but you know what they say about mothers, how they get super strength so they can lift cars when they need to. But there was no way that an empty gun and a small sharp blade was going to keep off this number, particularly for one so small and untrained. She knew she had to leave, go back to the bus, and find Maggie and Glenn. Her only family now. No, don't think about that! Not yet. She had to go to the bus, only she couldn't call off the search herself.

Daryl's wrist closed around her upper arm and she spun knife in hard aiming for the head. He caught her wrist with his other hand, but she had already noticed and slowed. The bus was gone. Her eyes were wide and huge, and Daryl must have felt that urge to protect deep in his gut like any man would. So he kept hold of her, dragging her into reality, because even he could see the glazed look approaching. She was not okay. But she had to be a little while longer.

Together they clambered into the woods, running, keep on running. From walkers? No, not from them. From reality, from truth, from the fucked up mess that just happened. And there had to be a reason why he grabbed her. Why he didn't let her walker surrounded her, she was in too deep to get out alive at this point. It was Beth. And Beth had no training. And so he turned his back, and left her. Left to help that yellow bus pull away and pluck off the enemies, dead and alive.

But she surprised him, something was in her fighting for everything she had. She was still going after all this time, after he had given up on her. He literally left her for dead. So he helped out, enough to grab her and pull her away. And she kept his pace, needing perhaps for her legs to burn to distract from her aching heart. And he could respect that, they would stop when she said so.

That first half-day was the longest, stretching out over what seemed like thousands of miles of hills and woods and roads, not stopping until it was late in the night. Daryl had navigated them to one of the rendezvous points, set up by him and Glenn sometime last year. It remained dusty and bleak as it did before, and the thin wires wrapped around tress kept the walkers out. Beth plucked the glistening wires illuminated in the torch light, Daryl had his own in his mouth, making a hole for her to step through. In return she did the same for him, but he stalked off to double-check their safety.

Even for the apocalypse, Beth though this place hit 'below standards'. Blood splatter across the inside walls and small puddles from the leaky roof made the room smell. Smell of death and mildew- I don't know if that's a combination you're familiar with, but it's not nice. With the door locked, and blacked out windows, the inside of this place looked like a freaking horror film. All dimmed lights, dark corners and dusty furniture from some other life.

There were bunk-beds at one side, and it was here that Beth dragged herself. Sometimes when you think a lot on something else, like not having a break down because you just saw your father decapitated, you can forget about other less important things. And it was only now, that Beth realised how numb, cold and shaky her legs were. She was tired, she was fucking tired and tired of it all too. And she didn't care that he was there, she pulled her jeans off and climbed into the bottom bunk.

She curled up waiting for the inevitable tears to come, but they didn't. And even Daryl found that surprising, he had been waiting to be forced into a position of reluctant comforting, maybe even a hug. But she didn't cry, and she didn't sob, her little shoulders didn't rack. She just stared at a gloomy spot on the wall, the blankets protecting her from the harshness of her life until she fell asleep.

He was gone by the first morning light, and she would wake much later in the day. Her legs practically screamed in protest as she pushed herself up, bleary eyed and fuzzy headed. She felt so heavy. And Daryl was gone. But he would be back, it wasn't his style to leave the helpless- was it? Thinking back, actually, what did she know about the redneck?

He liked his space, or maybe he just disliked others in the space he was in. He could hunt, and track pretty well too. He had some personal vendetta against sleeves. And then Beth snapped back to reality, looking back was too painful right now.

Ignoring the screaming limbs, Beth peeked her head out the safety of the bunk. Daryl had pulled the blackout curtain back, letting grimy bright winter light filter the room, making it much less ominous than before. It was empty. The floor boards weren't as cold as expected, and Beth decided against pulling on the old blood covered jeans in hope of finding something new-and cleaner.

It was the first time she had even seen this place properly. Furniture was pushed against the wall stacked leaving a wide open space in the middle of the room, bizarre. This was either crazy old owners or crazy old Daryl and Glenn. The bedside table held a set of pyjamas, they were men's, but gratefully Beth pulled them on- tugging the drawstrings and rolling the bottom. Next she should eat, so she moved across the room to the table- there was a cereal bar- left by some impish fairy in the night (a fairy named Daryl).

And she needed to do something, something other than stay here thinking. It couldn't be long before the inevitable crash of reality set in, and if possible Beth wouldn't be around for that, too bad she was undetectable to herself.

The cupboards were filled with items of old owners, probably deceased. Beth made a face at the wall splatter. Under the sink were what she needed, old cleaning supplies. And so she set to work, singing old country songs and hymns to herself, pretending the soundtrack to snow-white was playing in the back ground not 28 days later.

When Daryl came back, he was – if possible- even more perturbed. The old furniture to the cabin had been reallocated, wrinkled cloth over the table and everything. The floor was mildly damp and radiating a bleach smell, but the dark stains of blood had mostly faded into near oblivion. Warm light pierced through slightly yellow clean windows and softly fell onto her golden halo of hair. Beth had her hair down, brushed into soft, frizzy waves around her cheeks as she sat polishing her knife. For a moment he was afraid she would use it on herself, this calm collected girl, who hadn't once mentioned her father. Her father- who had just been decapitated, in front of her. That wasn't normal, and this- oh no, this definitely wasn't normal.

Beth looked up into his blue eyes. She nodded at him, and he at her. She didn't ask any questions, and so he gave no answers. And likewise. They sat in silence, one with knife the other arrows.

And then there was a knock on the door.

You'll see it in a while, maybe you see it now. But both Daryl and I agree that there's something about Beth, something more to her. An inexplicable strength radiating from ...well somewhere. She should be a burden, the reason they are slowed down. But then why is a guy like that hanging around a girl like her?

Daryl is the one who hunts. You can see it in his muscles and the way he holds himself so still, like a deer, waiting to fight or run. He's expecting danger, always.

If Daryl is the one who hunts, Beth is the one who makes the home.

Beth is the one who makes the home. Her logic skills make twice as much fit in a back pack, her soft voice soothing captors and allies alike, waiting to laugh or cry. She's expecting salvation, always.


	2. Chapter 2

**The sad truth is, I am starting to love all my e-mail notifications…it's like having friends, so please review! And any idea feel free to throw at me, as metaphorically hard as you like. I promise I will update sooner, it has just been a hell of a weekend/few days- a lot of sick people and ,henceforth, a lot of cooking and nursing on my half.**

The knock rang out, uncommon in this world. Who knocked?

Someone who knew they were home- friend or foe? In the back of Daryl's mind he hoped for a really polite walker on the other side of the door. His eyes flicked between Beth's steady gaze and staring at the door. Without a word they got into position. She slowly got to her feet and crept behind the door, holding her gun to her chest in case he needed back up. Daryl opened the door in one quick moment, bow stretched in-front, presumably aimed right in the middle of the forehead of the trespasser, but Beth couldn't see.

Tense moments ticked by, and none made any move to say anything. The suspense was killing her.

But eventually the knocker spoke- a deep man's voice. ''Nice set up you got here, room for one?'' Beth heard the click of a safety go back on, and the way Daryl let himself untense slightly, let her know it was safe. Stepping aside, Daryl let the man in, creating a barrier between him and Beth so she was still unseen. The man looked around, and let out a low whistle.

''Been here long? Looks like a sweet deal, man.'' He walked over to walls, glancing at the pictures in sad reminiscence, Daryl hadn't even notice they'd been put back up. Beth and Daryl exchanged a look and a shrug. ''These yer folks?'' the man looked across a Daryl, who shrugged again.

''Nah. Now, I don't wanna be rude but y'can't stay-'' Daryl felt a sharp tug on his arm, ''more than one night'' he concluded. ''This is Beth.'' The man spun around, surprised to see another person being so quiet in the room. He took in her dishevelled appearance, her soft hair and round face- he hadn't even noticed her. ''We'll give you a meal, get you full up and in the morning you leave, no questions, no pleading. You go.'' His voice was unwavering, uncompromising. Beth simply nodded sharply.

Mark, the strange man, had a knack for conversation that was lost on his companions. They didn't want to talk about his old job as a store manager, or sports or not even how much he missed a cold beer on a lazy afternoon. It appeared the man and girl didn't know each other well, the redneck kept himself to himself, polishing his arrows threateningly. The air was tense, but something told mark it was nothing to do with him.

''So what you doing out here? Passed out of Atlanta?- Wasn't that supposed to me the safe place round here?'' Mark tried again to start conversation. Daryl looked up at him, tilted him head and spoke in gruff voice.

''Yeah, it was. What about you?'' Daryl tried to get the back stories over, whilst she kept herself busy, running round the place sorting out boxes from the wardrobes and serving them cups of stew. He didn't want Beth to have to recount the last few days.

''And the girl?'' Daryl felt the man's position shift slightly, glancing across at Beth. Something in him told him the man didn't care about the life story of a redneck, but a pretty blonde- yeah, those back stories would probably do for him. Feeling protective, and slightly bothered by his interest, Daryl coughed loudly.

What was this man even up to? Daryl looked across at him slyly, not even a second had passed when marks eyes flicked over to Beth again. Looking across himself, he saw her leaning over a box, blonde hair over her shoulder, arse perfectly positioned. It was disgusting. Those pining eyes on a girl less than half his age, what even was he, 50? The coiling disgust in his stomach bit him.

''Beth.'' Daryl barked, and her head sprung up, eyes wide. She quickly ran over like a little puppy, he handed her a large blanket. Taking it as an act of kindness, she smiled slightly and wrapped it around herself. That should keep his prying eyes away. Only it didn't, his gaze still flickered back and forth between her and Daryl. Something didn't sit right.

''Personally, I'm headed west. Heard that about 200 miles from here there's a safe pace. An old flat complex, walls and skin-eater free. Just livin' the dream.'' Mark kept talking for the next hour or so, about what he was going to do when he got to 'paradise'. As his voice grew weaker and shaky, he guffawed loudly. ''Best be headed to bed, mind if I take the sofa?''

Beth stood up to get him a blanket to keep off the chill air, but he shook his head. ''you're alright little darling, I'm too hot as it is.'' Looking at him, Beth could see the glistening sweat that proved his claims, it made her feel colder and so she wrapped the blankets round herself tighter. Occasionally, you get that feeling someone can see right thought you, into everything you own and think. This was happening right now, so Beth shivered and turned her back, keeping her thoughts neutral in case he could hear them.

Daryl got ready to flick off the light, and they all went to bed.

Beth shifted in her sleep, she felt a hot burn on her shoulder and sat up to Marks piercing eyes. She moved to scream but his large hand cut it off, pulling him to her. She could feel him wrapping around her, suffocating her. He was sweating, and she could smell it, taste it even on his hands.

It's not easy, if you're a teenage girl, to wake up and fight off an attacker. Mark had years of living this zombie world alone, probably learning how best to hold someone so they can't escape.

''Elizabeth?'' his voice was right in her ear, soft and crooning. ''I'm right here, baby. You don't have to pretend anymore. That man hasn't hurt you has he? It's alright I'm here now. He stroked her hair gently. Tear rolled down her eyes. It was the most she had ever been afraid in her life, how had the world ended up like this? And where, the fuck, was Daryl?

Daryl had been gone all of ten minutes, checked the wires and the surrounding area. Both mark and Beth were asleep, but he couldn't for some unknown reason adrenaline pumped through his body. Ironic how it took him away from the danger. Walking back to the cabin, Daryl stifled a yawn, and pushed the door open. And everything went cold.

Beth was lying on the floor, straddled by Mark, who was wresting a jumper onto her arms. Beth's body twitched in visible distress, but her mouth was closed and she didn't fight. Creeping closer he saw why. Mark had the gun pressed to her forehead. Beth's eyes flicked over to Daryl in a shocked silence, tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she blinked them away.

Everything in him burned, like hot fire. This was sick, and wrong. He could live a thousand life times and never forget the look on her face right now.

Here's some advice for this world, you can be logical or get into an enemies' head, figure out what to do to out manoeuvre them. This tactic is great. However, you can't do this to either zombies or crazy people. It just won't work, and that was the predicament Daryl was in.

''You kill me, you kill the both of us.'' And then Daryl noticed, mark pulling out a knife and settling the blade against Beth's neck. If he shot the arrow, marks weight would push it in, puncturing her oesophagus. Give me a fucking break. Mark smiles sadistically in knowing he had the upper hand, and damn, did Daryl hate feeling like the loser in these situations. Pulling them both to their feet, mark used Beth as a shield, edging round the room. Daryl's crossbow followed him.

''Now, I'm going to take my little girl, and we're going to start a new life together. Like old times, huh, Lizzie? Come on, you must have missed daddy'' Beth's eyes went huge as he pulled her to the door. Even Daryl froze for thought a second. Wait, what? And then it all clicked.

''She ain't yer daughter! What the fuck, man?'' Daryl bit out. He was greeted by a soft gasp form Beth, Mark had stiffed, the blade piercing her skin a little. Blood trickled down. This couldn't possibly be a worse time for daddy issues. But any more pressure and Beth was going to die.

Mark's hand wavered, but he kept his stance strong and whispered apologetic nonsense in Beth's ears. She couldn't think with all the things he was telling her. How they were going to run together, she could have anything she wanted, he was so happy his little angel was alive.

Suddenly he coughed, and Beth felt warm wetness on her neck, she pulled a disgusted face. Leaning away from him, her small weight seemed to suddenly be too much, as he staggered. She looked up at Daryl, who was busy watching Mark's face, his eyes round. Mark started coughing more, holding Beth closer still. She felt warm fling onto her, and then with horror she smelt the blood.

He collapsed, bringing Beth down under him. Daryl ran over kicking the knife away and rolling Mark over enough so that Beth could pull herself free. They exchanged a look of confusion and alike thinking. Together they pulled Mark's shirt off, and there on his side was a bite.

Mark gasped in delirium. He was dying. Beth folded up his shirt putting it beneath his head, trying to provide some comfort, he was no danger now, not in this state- not yet. His brown eyes swam with life memories and fixed on Beth's face, holding a weary hand up for comfort.

''Lizzie, oh- Elizabeth! We're back together, we'll get away this time. I won't let them bite you.'' Tears spilled over his cheeks, but he focused on wiping Beth's own tears. He was crying for his daughter. She was crying for the goodbye she never gave her own father. What a cruel world to do this to them.

So Beth nodded at his nonsense, stroked the back of his hand in comfort as his breathing grew shallow. Pulling the shirt across his face, and slowly walking until her back was against the wall, her eyes glazed over to another time. Daryl finished the job. The nicest thing you can provide in this world is letting them die as themselves.

''Beth look at me! Are you alright? Beth?'' His voice was edging into frantic. She realised he must have been there a while, trying to shake her, but she hadn't felt anything. He loosened his grip on her arms. Beth nodded vigorously, opening her mouth to silence, before snapping it closed. There was a pause where words should have been, then her eyes filled again and she bit her lip in shame. She gently cupped his face, bringing it to look at her, and smiled tentatively. Shit, when was the last time she spoke?

''Beth, talk to me.'' Her eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. Everything collapsed at once, the world shocked into high speed and it all caught up. Tears for her father, and her sister spilled over. Her breathing erratic and uneven- she cried for everything she had lost and everything she would never gain. Surprisingly, Daryl only sat there, watching in vague understanding. Knowing that her words wouldn't explain all this anyway, but finally she had started to live again.

There hadn't been time, he told himself, to notice she hadn't breathed a word to him. They had been going nonstop together for hours, there hadn't been time. He was a man who spoke little, and so wasn't out to look for it himself. And something pained him, she never screamed for his help, because of the gun? Or because she couldn't make her voice work to save herself? This was all his fault, no wonder she didn't trust him.

''I should've told you he wasn't right. Knew he was lookin' at yer funny. I let you down Beth, and that ain't gonna happen again, alright?'' He looked into her wet eyes and she nodded solemnly. She wrapped her arms around him, silently sobbing into his chest.

Words past by them without being said, an unspoken vow to be each other's someone from now on. Sure, there were maybe better candidates out there, but she was all he had- and who can turn that down?


	3. Chapter 3

**This is me trying to be a better updater! So thank you to those who were tricked by the plot line of the last chapter, those who weren't –shame on you for ruining my fun! Hope you enjoy and review if you want to!**

Beth finished crying her silent tears, which resolved into silence. Daryl leant against the wall, his legs stretched in front of him, Beth's quiet and steady breathing in his ear. She curled up against him, and for all he knew she could be asleep or awake. Either way she wouldn't talk to him.

He couldn't feel bitter about it anyway. She wasn't doing it to hurt him. And it's not like he was a conversationalist, he just felt guilty that he hadn't noticed before. And furthermore, he couldn't help her. Herschel would know what to do, not because he was her father, just because well he was Hershel. Or, maybe, rick- hadn't he gone through some somewhat unbalanced stages of mentality back at the prison.

That's what you do when you have no one to turn to, think about who could do something. But Daryl wasn't these people, and in his head practically every other person that had been in his life would know what to do. But it's important to understand here, that Beth wasn't broken. He could see that, she was still fighting for what she believed in and wasn't that cationic little girl he saw back at the farm. Isn't it sad when you toughen up by seeing your mother die?

Mark was still lying there. Daryl knew he had to move him, pull him into the woods, burn him maybe, so that the walkers didn't start come scavenging for more. Last thing he needed were walkers hounding around like a lost puppy. He sighed, but smoke would bring people. And people, as mark had shown, could be just as dangerous and the undead that eat your skin. Daryl pulled himself up, gently letting Beth flop sideways onto the floor, her eyes fluttering slightly in disturbed rest.

Grabbing Mark's ankles, Daryl pulled him through the door, softly closing it behind him. Navigating the fence was the most difficult, particularly in the dark. As a general rule one should really try to avoid woodland trips in the dark in Zombie land, it doesn't tend to end nicely, just ask all those walkers wearing camping gear.

But Daryl was tougher than most, and had spent almost his entire life being victimised; by his father, by his brother, by all the stuck up arseholes at school. And so in this respect, he understood Beth. Where she had grown up to be- well- perfect, there was no better way to say it. She was blonde, white and had everything a head of her. Back in the old days her small innocence would help her get to where she wanted to go, put people in charge of fighting for her. But this world, oh no, this world was much darker. Those same people now used that innocence to victim her, her delicate nature would only hinder her, make her easy prey for the living as well as the dead. And he, who was so often kicked down, was the new alpha of the world.

They had made it a mile or so away from the cabin, so Daryl dumped the body down a ditch, leaving it there with no regret. There wasn't time for that, he had more important things to think about. Besides, if he were to think about all the people he had had to kill in the last 2 years, he'd be here a long time. It was a human eat human world out there.

The walk back was somehow colder, it drained the last of the hope he had held onto in the last few days. He had hit empty tank, but so had Beth. She was curled up where he had left her. But also light and easy to carry to bed. He tucked her in to the bunk, recollecting the blankets that had been pulled off in the struggle. Today wasn't the day for plans or tears or hope, it was for sleep. She looked so small and young, he thought. The worried lines of her face had eased and you could see her age, that same beautiful face but with the eerie calm of rest. He hadn't been staring at her. If you see something beautiful in this world you appreciate it, that's another rule.

The morning was long gone by the time he stirred, but gifting himself to doze in a numb slumber for a while longer, Daryl closed his eyes again. The sun was cracking through the gap in the bottom of the door, the one he hadn't bothered to cover after the disposal of mark, and it hadn't seemed worth it. Time ticked by, precious moments of life. Tick tock, tick tock. He thought about life before, his childhood, his rough adolescence and his lonely adult life. He never had been the people type of person, he sighed.

The apocalypse taught people like me to fight, to know what we have to loose and unimaginable pain. Beth is in my boat, she's learning these things too. But Daryl, Daryl was different. This world taught him to be a team player, how much you have to gain and unimaginable peace.

Beneath him he heard Beth moving around, her breathing became heavy and a small whimpering noise emitted the air. Jumping off the bunk, Daryl reached over to shake her twitching body. Sweat stuck to her forehead and she frowned. He gripped her shoulder. Beth's eyes sprang open and her fist flew unwaveringly into Daryl's jaw. He grunted in shock and reeled back. Sitting up, sheets pulled to her chin and eyes squeezed shut again. She shivered in fear.

Daryl meanwhile was swearing profusely, it was the kind of reaction he expected to give, not receive. Where the hell had she learnt that? Hearing his mutterings Beth eventually faded back into reality. Daryl felt her cold hands on his own, pulling them away to inspect the damage. It was too dark, so she pulled the black outs back. Daryl was right, the high noon sun poured in. catching her blush, he looked away, but he'd be fine. It wasn't the first time he'd taken one to the jaw, and it wasn't the hardest either.

Breakfast, or lunch if we're being pedantic, was an awkward affair. Beth couldn't look at Daryl without turning thee colour of a beet, and Daryl was smarting at being hit by a girl. Though to be fair it isn't good practice to hit a girl who was attacked the night before. They ate in more than silence, it somehow hung between them.

Daryl set off hunting, it wasn't too late to find a few squirrels, maybe take down a walker or two. When he came back, Beth was dressed in an old floral dress, it was miles too large. She looked so frail again swamped in material, pinching in around her small waist. Daryl couldn't bring it in him so soon after everything that had happened to begrudge her for any longer. Besides they were a team, and teams didn't let punches to team members get in the way. At least not Daryl's team.

Beth brought Daryl a cold cloth, and exchanged it for the two naked squirrels he had brought back. The olive branch had been extended. Daryl looked at the seat next to him, taking the hint she curled up next to him.

''We need to make a plan.'' It was the inevitable conversation. ''finding the others is the main goal in my eyes, and we need to decide if we stay here or move on.'' He kept her gaze and she nodded and bit her lip. He was the planner, and she was putting her trust in him. Well, she sort of had to until she had a voice of her own.

''There are five rendezvous points. We know this one is void, so I suggest we go to the others, check for disturbances and see if we can track. The sooner we start the better. Rick, Glenn, Tyresse, Michonne and Bob, they all know the location of some of these base, if not all.'' He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Beth nodded again in understanding, before standing and going back to making a stew with the squirrel.

They set off soon the next morning. No time like the present zombie-filled morning to go on a venture. Just before leaving Daryl watched Beth make a series of notes and pin them onto every visible wall and surface. It was smart, he'd give her that. After all they may not be the only ones doing this plan, it was good to know where survivors had been, even it was simply ''BG and DD- Two days after Prison.''

Without adrenaline, and the addition of a backpack (complete with every possible thing that could help them) the journey was inevitably tougher and longer. They spent a day in a broken down truck on the side of the road, before heading back out again. Two and half days later, weary and with muscles protesting the final, ''we're about ten minutes straight.'' Daryl moved his hand from a small 'x' on the tree and nodded forward for Beth.

There was a moan behind Beth, and she spun to see a walker stuck to a bush, his shirt pulling him back. Dodging his outstretched arms, Beth sunk a knife into its skull, letting it go limp. Watching her slowly as she dusted herself off, Daryl made a very un-Daryl like move. But what could he say there was something weirdly captivating about how much this girl had grown. And he went head over heels, not metaphorically, I mean physically. Daryl stood in a rabbit burrow and tripped, and laded with his shoulder on a twig and his forehead on a rock. It wasn't a good week for his face.

**This is more of a 'they're on the move' chapter, hope you enjoyed- it'll get cute soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm actually much happier with this chapter than the last, we start rooting around a bit. Tell me what you think!**

I'm not going to lie, we all know there's something about Beth by now, but that something wasn't strength. And it took her around an hour, to pull Daryl through the undergrowth to the new rendezvous spot.

It was bigger than their last. Rendezvous 2.0. The small brick wall was about 4 ft. all the way round, and for the most part the walker's seemed unable to get inside. The wooden gate, as she leant, had been locked with chains and a padlock. Great, just great. Looking at an unconscious Daryl, Beth couldn't help but worry. He had never been out this cold for so long before. But his injuries would have to wait until she got him inside. Now how does one get a full grown man over a wall?

The approximate mile walk had consisted of exchanging between half carrying him on her back, until he was just far enough to see, before running back and grabbing the bags, and repeat. When the terrain became soft grass, Beth just pulled at his ankles, taking it metre by slow metre. It was a fortunate thing that the majority of the local undead were most likely caught up feasting on the corpses at the prison still. No, don't think- not that. Maggie was fine, drag, Glenn had got her, drag, and they had Judith, untangle Daryl's hair form a bush.

Beth sat down, Daryl was laid on the floor. His peaceful face looked younger and untroubled, no nightmares then, and a stab of jealousy hit her. What she wouldn't do for a good night's sleep, even if it did require being knocked across the face with a rock. Everything ached, but she wasn't done yet.

When Beth was fifteen and in gym class, her teacher would comment on how weak she was. Beth could run adequately, and had an alright aim, but she was never made of muscle. For all intents and purposes she was the kind of girl I expected to go first in her family. But the apocalypse seemed to bring out this gritty determination. You have a job to do, so do it. Pulling herself up onto wobbly legs, Beth leaned down to check Daryl was breathing. Never hurts to check. She propped him up against the wall in a sitting position, and then, using herself and the wall as leverage, stood him against it. She doesn't know how, but involved an intimacy that a conscious Daryl would refuse, she got him lying on the wall.

The rest was easy, she pulled herself to the other side and lowered him down to the floor. Unless you were looking directly over the wall, you wouldn't see him, particularly with all that mud. She walked the entire inside of the overgrown garden thrice, checking any suspicious bumps in the ground- these things play dead. She was satisfied that he was safe for a moment and left to check inside, to avoid any surprise walker welcome home party.

The house was small, but compared to the one-room cabin and previously small dark vastness of the cells, it seemed like the perfect size. Homely, but secure. The furniture was parted in the same fashion as the cabin. Oh, it was for easy access, in case there were casualties. Once Daryl was lying on the sofa, in a pink blanket, Beth was satisfied to check around. The lock on the door gave a satisfying well-oiled click, but still she pushed an armchair against it. Better to be sae than to be attacked by carnivorous dead people.

She checked the dining room, to find an emergency operation table made out of the previous furniture. What were they expecting they'd come here like? But the tools and sparse medicines were lined up helpfully, which would save her time looking for some pain killers. Finding two sets, she swallowed the weaker, leaving the stronger ones for Daryl. It seemed weir to leave supplies so easily accessible, but rick was the kind to share what they had if a survivor came along.

Leaving the operation theatre, she smirked to herself, and into the kitchen. Looking into the cupboards everything was stacked up, this must have been the main meet up point to have this much stuff. Seeing the organisation of the selves, Beth burst into a smile. Maggie had been here, not recently, but she organised this kitchen. It should have been obvious at the layout of the dining room, only Maggie knew how Daddy liked his things lay out. Beth had always been a systematic cook, when helping her mother make dinner she picked up Annette's quirky sense of everything belonging a certain way. Maggie had never really understood, and when she put the groceries away, there would always some sort of argument. But here everything was, pretty much, exactly how they had it at home. The soup tins lined up in groups of flavours, before being separated by jars, then other tinned goods. Tear streamed down her cheeks, great she was crying over a kitchen.

The smile didn't leave as Beth set out to find more proof that it had been Maggie and Glenn that had arranged this place. Her sister wasn't a sentimental person, she was better known for threatening to punch bullies for you than make any subtle gesture. But Beth could see the attempts to make everyone more comfortable, no matter how small. And maybe she was reading into it, but she needed to believe this is what Maggie had done, and it had to mean something.

There were three bedrooms, makeshifts beds had been forced out of blankets and sofa cushions, but even so there was little room in the small upstairs. The last bedroom seemed to be a baby's room, the crib was still made up for little Judith, and on the floor was a sleeping bag. Nothing else would fit in here, so it made two bedrooms really. The last owners had soft yellow patterned wallpaper through their house, and it had a distinctly family feel to it. It felt safer than anywhere else they had been recently, and almost normal. But, sleeping in a truck will do that to you.

Creeping back down the hallway, it seemed suddenly weird to be in a stranger's house. On her way down the stairs she stopped to look at the framed photo on the wall. The man was typical, tall-ish dark hair, he had a pleasant smile. Beth wondered what he did, probably something small like accountancy or a file pusher in some insurance office, but he had big dreams. He, and his wife, who was a baker and held down small cleaning jobs, knew one day they were going to break the line of just making it to make it big. They'd have a pool and a big house for their little boy to play in with his younger siblings. She smiled at their lives.

Had I thought about all this, I would immediately wonder what happened to them next. Wonder if it hurt when they turned, if they were holed up somewhere hiding like rats, supposing they were still together. Because the world is cruel, and we expect the absolute worst. But for Beth, they were having Pina Coladas near their pool in Florida, celebrating that big promotion.

Daryl began to stir as Beth began setting out things to get him ready, she rested a cold cloth on his head. How many times was that going to be necessary? The first clue was a soft grunt of pain, then he sat up sharply cussing at the sudden pain. Learning the lesson to stand back from a waking person, Beth was glad as Daryl's head missed hers by a few seconds.

He gingerly looked round the room, taking in the softening natural light. Daryl noticed he was covered in a pink fluffy blanket, and made a face at it. Beth was sat back perched on her toes, crouched down near him. He settled back to lying down to drown out the fuzzy feeling his head was giving him. From here, he could see every small detail of her face, the curve of her pouted lips and each long eyelash. Something made him want to stare at her for a long time. His head was swimming with grogginess, and it took him a while to realise that the groan he heard came from him.

Beth's small hand passed him a glass of water, she had found a straw for him to use, but he discarded it already feeling demasuclinised. The water was warm but it was a luxury to be grateful about. He swallowed the two pills he gave her, she was Herschel's daughter, and therefore he trusted her medical decisions. There was no way for her to tell him what had happened, or more importantly how long it would take those pills to work. Somehow she had got him to the house- that much was evident. Feels like she dragged him across a glass-filled swimming pool.

''Seen anything?'' his voice hurt too much to say more. But she understood what he meant. Anything meant suspicious or people or out of the ordinary. Other than the fortunate lack of walkers in the area, no. So she shook her head. He nodded, settling down into the blanket, no longer caring it was a metaphorical symbol of his failure. It was comfy, and he respected that in a blanket. His eyes fluttered closed without permission, sounds faded in and out for the next few hours. He heard her small footsteps barely, the curtains closing and the door being checked. Good girl.

Beth wandered around a bit more, bored of having nothing to do, and afraid of having nothing to distract her. So she set about organising the kitchen in a more apocalyptic style, Maggie's hard work was going to have to go to waste. She checked the dates of all the cans, even though here was little variation or need, she put them in order. She pulled left out a stray can of soup for Daryl, deciding leek and potato would be the easiest thing on his stomach. It made sense to use up the cereal before it was inedible, which wouldn't be long. Beth took a mouthful of dry cheerio'. Yea, ok maybe the inedible had already happened. On the top shelf of the cereal cupboard was an empty shelf, which would do for the toaster and kettle on the sideboard. You never knew when you need a work top, and this place didn't have much. Standing on tiptoes Beth managed to just settle the corner of the toaster on the shelf, and she slowly edged it back. After about three-quarters of the way it stopped.

Frustrated it had got caught, there was no choice but to climb up on the counter and pushing it on. Her knees felt cold against the surface, but her eyes were too busy pulling a paper bag out from between the taster and wall. With it gone, her job was complete and the kettle quickly joined it. Beth climbed down and looked at the bag, opening it up so she could find a home for it. Beth opened it up and frowned.

Daryl was a good patient, or at least a quiet one. He seemed to only need to sleep his injury off a bit more, before he was able to pull himself up for his dinner. Beth had heated the soup slightly on an old camping stove, this place had everything, and he'd never say it but Daryl was thankful for the warm meal. Looking at her red-rimmed eyes and melancholy expression, Daryl could feel a shift in her energy levels. But he was too embarrassed to ask and receive no answer.

The pills made the pain lessen greatly all over his body, but his head still felt tight and restricted. His brain was screaming something at him, something about Beth but he couldn't hear it. She rearranged his pillow behind him, her small hand rested against his forehead. He, for some reason, didn't grumble when she tucked the cover up and dimmed the lights to go to bed. Daryl tried to remain awake a little longer, it had been weeks since he had any real sleep, and days since any at all. He was paying for it now, his body had sunk into lethargic takeover mode.

The lightness of him limbs and thoughts made Daryl know he was dreaming. That, and he was also lying on the rough woollen sofa of his childhood home. He sneezed. Immediately a tall red headed woman came bustling in with a tray, she smiled at him, and he beamed back. She brushed his hair with her hand as he ate his soup, cigarette positioned in her mouth.

''Hey kiddo, slow down you're getting it all over you.'' He voice was light but scratchy as if she hadn't had to raise her voice to that happy tone often. Wiping his chin with a cloth, and an oversized shirt of a just teenage Merle. He blushed a little at the attention.

''My little soldier, huh? You feeling all better, I can tell. That's good, we can take you upstairs away from the sofa.'' He knew she meant so his father wouldn't hit him. Daryl frowned. The curly haired woman smiled, her lips were painted red. When he came back, she would have to ignore him, tend to his every need instead. And he didn't want to be better, he wanted to be sick. Sick was when your mother bought you soup, and sat with you as you slept and told you stories about her childhood before all this. Sick was when you were loved.

The cigarette smoke wafted around lazily, and so Daryl knew she was close. The door suddenly slammed closed, his mother was on her feet, ushering him to get his stuff back to his room. The man started arguing with her, shouting and making her cry. Daryl could hear it from under his bed. He doesn't remember how he got here, he was just downstairs. But it doesn't matter, his old teddy is pulled near his racing heart and small scared tears. He hears a glass smash and a sudden thwack, she screams. Then the door slams and the engine leaves, back to the pub. It takes her ten minutes to find him, her cheek is swollen red, but she pulls him out against her softness. Rocking him like he's still a baby, she puts him in his bed.

Fluffing the pillows behind him and tucking him in tightly, he feels her cold hand against his head, so familiar. She calls him her angel and makes to leave, 'mommy needs some time alone to have a cigarette'. But if she leaves she'll die, she smiles at him and says he's silly. Daryl warns her again, but she only dims the lights and walks to the door. He's struggling, trying to sit up and move, to do something anything. But he can't, he can only smell the cigarettes and hear the wailing of the sirens fade into dull screams. His screams? No, someone else's screams. Beth's.

His eyes snap open, but the noise continues. Covered pulled back, and three steps at a time he bursts into her room.


	5. Chapter 5

**I am so sorry about all the mistakes in the last chapter. I shall be totally honest, I wrote it and didn't check it because I was feeling sick, it is my fault. **

**This is much longer than I had planned out- like twice as much.**

**Hope you like this chapter! **

Beth was thrashing at invisible monsters, and it didn't take a genius to see it. She had kicked the covers off her bed, and her hoarse voice was high pitched and frantic. He had to wake her up.

''Beth?'' It was too use, his own voice wasn't loud enough, and still stung like hell when he tried. Her screaming broke down into sobs, periodically she would start unintelligible yelling again. He climbed over to the bed, keeping out of line with her fist, he grabbed an ankle and shook it hard. She just flailed harder. Great, she was bringing in every walker in the area. He had to shut her up, without her attacking him. There was little choice, and Daryl would stress this point profusely. He climbed onto the bed, pining her legs under him with swift manoeuvring, holding her arms to the mattress. There, no she couldn't flail.

Her cries subsided moments after she couldn't move, her eyes sprang open the blue-ish grey catching his. She swallowed. And then she blushed. Thoughts swam around her head, what was even real anymore? Her father dying, Walker-Herschel trying to eat Maggie as Glenn fought off Daryl, who was screaming 'she's not worth it'. A least a part of that was real. And the farm being taken over, Patricia and jimmy being left behind.

Nightmares in this world are worse than the old world. Which is surprising because you would think that since you see it every day that you get numbed, you don't. Seeing it happen every day makes the imagination more vivid, heightened understanding of what you have to loose makes it hurt more, like being stabbed over and over again. What's more sleep is the only hope for a break from this world, and once you stop getting that break- well, you can count down the days 'til you lose your mind. And this was how Beth felt.

She had left a lamp on low light to keep the nightmares at bay, little use that was. But in the dim light Daryl was watching her, unaware of his still being on top of her. Her eyes filled with more clear tears and scrunched up into sobs again, only this time she was conscious of her pain. Her hair was stuck to her hair with sweat, and it annoyed him that it was there so imperfectly. Brushing his hand along her head he swept it away, like she had done for him earlier, and his mother so long ago.

Only then did he become conscious of his positioning. Shocked at the realisation of his unabashed closeness to another living being, Daryl froze in panic. Beth felt him stiffen in his awkward way, but she still couldn't find the words to say she didn't mind, instead she kept whimpering to herself. Daryl moved off her, sitting instead next to her, praying that wasn't too close.

He felt embarrassed, but Beth seemed not to care, if anything her moving to curl up next to him suggested her missing his intimacy. She pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. He could see she was covered in angry red scratches from the woods, most of them looked fresh. How much had she gone through today? Her pale legs were pattered entirely with scratches and bruises, all the way up to her- oh, shit she was only wearing knickers and a t-shirt. He averted his eyes immediately, pretending he hadn't noticed. Which he hadn't, thank you very much, until just now. The image was laughable really, not to a mortified Daryl, the old redneck pinning a teenage girl to a bed in underwear. It wouldn't take much stretch of the imagination to conclude a different story, not much indeed.

He let her cry on his shoulder, feeling too perverse to touch her now. Eventually they both fell into a place of numb pain, just staring at the walls. Deciding that was the most stupid thing to do. So they went through the motions, lay down, and stared at the ceiling instead. Sleep overcame both the exhausted bodies.

When Daryl woke up he shivered slightly, the covers were still on the floor, and it would have been freezing if not for that radiating warmth from his core. Wait, he came further into reality. That warmth was something soft, and breathing. Shit. Beth's small face was breathing out slight almost-snores, her lips parted. The nightmares had held off then. Somewhere in the night they had tangled themselves up like a game of 'doctor, doctor we're all in a twist'.

His subtle pulling back of his limbs was slow and torturous, his body protested leaving the comfort of a female embrace, but it had to be done. Mind over matter. His movements must have woken her, because suddenly she was leaning away from him- setting him free. Her hair was mused and eyes still watery. He tried not to watch as she stretched, revealing a small strip of her tummy. She pulled the sheet off the floor wrapping it around her, suddenly conscious of her attire.

They met downstairs in the kitchen, both dressed in uncomfortable foreign clothing. She dished out pills, as he poured out water. Beth pulled out two plates and a brown paper bag. A box was put on the counter, but Daryl could see the contents due to the cello-taped note on the front. ''To Beth, Happy Birthday, love Maggie and Glenn xxx'' his throat felt thick.

Daryl had never been a real lover of sugary-snacks for breakfast, it was Merle who would sit happily earning cavity after cavity on sugary cereal and pastry. But the pop-tart placed in front him wasn't a snack, it was an act of gratitude and perhaps a slight pick me up. And food like this was hard to get anymore, grainy oats or solid cereal were the nearest to breakfast food they'd had in months. Heck, he was so used to heavy venison stew for breakfast, this was even sweeter.

Beth and Merle both seemed to like the 'Burstin' Berry', he wondered if that was her favourite like his brother, or if it was all Maggie could find. She seemed the kind to like artificial purple snacks or breakfast, not just because of her age, but the general 'Beth-ness' of it. And the look on her face told him she was indeed enjoying it immensely. Little bits were quickly demolishing, it was nice to feel passionate about food again. At least, it was nice to feel passionate about particular food, not just 'food! That will end the hunger pains'. He ate his own in three bites, letting the sugar over take him. It wouldn't be a filling breakfast or slow releasing energy, but the thought mattered, and Beth was smart enough to see they should save the heavier carbs for the road should it come to that.

He made a little one-sided small talk about how he thought it best to spend a week or so here. It was after all the main meet up point, the one which everyone in the prison group knew about. They were the first here, everything had been left undisturbed, despite their late arrival. That in itself worried Daryl, it had been days. He tried to count in his head. This was the nearest place to the prison. The others either couldn't make it here for some reason, or they weren't in shape to.

The plan was to stay, he would hunt to save the food as long as possible. There was enough for two for a small while, but if others turned up they didn't want to have eaten it all. He didn't want to tell her that after a week they should move on, and in case the others turned up they would leave some food. Beth spent the morning cleaning around with disinfectant, whilst he worked on securing the place better. He couldn't leave her anywhere it was easy to get in, just in case. The smell of citrus and bleach made his head dizzy, how could she stand this? Yes, he understood it was safer for them, and gave her something to do- but damn, it was worse than solvent paint.

About two hours after noon, she was headed to the upstairs, the downstairs was practically immaculate for an apocalypse. This girl had a knack for making a home. She had moved the furniture around, so that there was still space to drag in unconscious bodies the dining room theatre. On about the forth step up Daryl stopped her.

''I'm going out huntin', just fer a couple o' hours. Stay upstairs and outta sight.'' He handed her a knife and she frowned at his limp. Noticing the frown he looked at her concerned face, ''look, I'll go fer an hour, come back if I got something or not.'' She bit her lip, but nodded at that plan. After all even a Dixon couldn't rally up that much trouble in an hour.

Beth put away all the spare bedding in an accessible cupboard, she had to smile at Glenn and Maggie's idea of practicality. Not only was it obvious where they had run out of stuff to use- since towels began making separate beds. But Maggie had never been good at this type of thing, fighting she was but not organising. Beth would have evenly spread out the use of duvets and towels, making it more fair, but Maggie or, possibly Glenn, left some people possible freezing. There was also a bed made in the bath, Beth wanted to laugh. The bathroom was small and tiled, it had no real purpose so Beth quickly cleaned around, putting anything they could use on the counter.

After her tidying session the two bedrooms looked much more inhabitable. The master was made with a fresh pair of sheets and the bedside tables left empty for Daryl to put his crossbow on. She wasn't sure which side he slept on, so she cleared them both. She then organised clothes that were practical and would fit, making a draw for her and one for Daryl. Not only was this helpful in the mornings, but if they had little time to pack. The smaller room had twin beds, and where masses of boxes and makeshift beds were in the way, a small clean room could be seen. Beth had put the boxes in the empty tub. She turned ready to start on the nursery, it wouldn't take much wiping down, but she'd rather know all the germs were gone in case it was needed for a child.

Daryl came back in about 70 minutes, he had picked off a few squirrels, and it wold do them for the night. He contemplated using the living room fire place to cook them, it would make smoke but cooking these things on a camping stove would take the piss.

The house was just as he had left it, he almost felt bad about walking on the clean floors, so he wiped his feet more than at any point of his life. It was almost as if this place hadn't been touched at all, like it was somewhere stuck before all this. But then you saw the barricaded front door and smelt the stench of death from outside. The squirrels we placed in the sink, he had gutted and skinned them in the woods, but any remaining blood could drain away. She had left him a mug of deflated root beer, which he took gratefully, enjoying the medicinal taste. Time to find Beth.

He got to the top of the stairs and quietly pushed open the bedroom door, in case she was napping. The room was tidy and felt empty without her, she wasn't in the next room either. Or the bathroom, not that there wasn't evidence she had been.

He pushed open the last door, he didn't even know what was in here. Beth was on the floor, he small hands wrapped around the bars of a crib, tears on her face. She wasn't crying just staring traumatised at the small blue blankets.

He missed lil' asskicker, was scared out his mind about whether or not she had made it, so much he had to right every rationally feeling to go back to the prison to see. But Judith, wasn't his baby. And her mum was right here, thinking about her still, that look of heartbreak written all over her face. Judy, who must be alive and well, would never know how missed she was by her young surrogate mother. There are no words to say to a woman who has lost her child, he learnt that at Sophia's disappearance. No promises you can make and keep, and no comfort at all to give.

So he gently prised off her hands, pulling her up beside him and led her out the room. Shutting the door firmly behind them. Still she stared ahead, fixed on some mental image he couldn't understand. She was light enough to carry with no problem down the stairs, even with his injuries. Her small arms lazily held on to him, but let go when he dropped her carefully as possible on the sofa. It was his turn to care for her now. He brought back a mug of root beer like she had for him, and wrapped her hands around it. She could have it when she'd snapped out of this, until then he'd make the fire.

The crackling brought her back, she sipped the drink, siging to herself. It felt like everything was making her fall apart, and the lack of emotion to total devestation was exhausting and scaring her. It was normal to feel a bit crazy in this worlds, but only to the extent that you could still cope. She wasn't sure when it had gotten dark, but the curtains were closed and covered in heavy material, and candles were burning. She could see aryl turning a little spit of roating squirrel and cleaning arrows to keep himself busy. He glanced up, smiling like a proud child.

''got us some dinner.'' She mailed back at him, feeling it was fake but it still made him nod back.

''Still not talking to me, missy?'' Daryl was growing concerned about her muteism. The most he had got from her thus far was a frantic scream, and that wasn't even her awake. What if there was some danger or she got in trouble, or lost? His mind was reeling overtime. Besides it was beginning to hurt a little bit, not to mention strangely lonely. Back in his old life he would have loved to spend everyday hearing nothing from nobody. But he was more sociable now, used to hearing Rick demanding something, or some frightened whisper, and even children playing in the prison yard.

Her mouth opened, and brows furrowed. He could hear her breathing hitch and escalate, her hands flew to her face covering it in shame. Great, he'd upset her. Now he had to fix this.

''Alright, don't get stressed about it. Probably only make it worse. How about I just provoke ya occasionally until you got to get me to shut up?'' he sniffed and looked up at him, he looked about as unsure as she did. But at least now he understood how scared she was about this too, he should've know the girl had realised all the problems. He passed her a plate of squirrel and sat beside her.

''Eat that up, your scrawny legs need some meat on them.'' He glanced at her beneath his long hair, she was genuinely smirking at him this time. And they ate in silence.

Lying in the master bedroom, which Beth had insisted he take, Daryl's eyes fluttered awake. Something was wrong. His ears instantly pricked up, he heard the soft breathing of Beth, and sure enough there she was curled up beside him. He could feel her warmth and could only guess that she'd slipped in quietly at some point. He didn't mind, but he couldn't let her know that.

There was something else, muffled voices from outside. He knew he could hear something, he shook Beth urgently. She sat up looking perplexed but determined, the grogginess slipping away, though he couldn't see it. He groped for her hand in the dark.

''Someone's outside, grab Mark's gun, let down at the top of the stairs. You see danger you shoot, squeeze my hand if you understand.'' He spoke quietly and quickly. Feeling his hand being held tighter he grabbed the crossbow, creeping down the stairs to the living room door way.

Beth did as she was told and lie down, in the shadows both of them were invisible, and it gave them an advantage they needed. Beth tried to prick her ears the way Daryl did, but could only hear her own rapid breathing. She tried again then-

''What the fuc-it's a wall.'' A hushed voice spoke. Beth shivered, hating the idea of anyone stuck in the dark woods with the walking undead around them. The voices were tired. Heavy footsteps approached the house, the voices were whispering together. The door made a noise of attempted opening. Then a bang, the lock and chair jerked away, giving the strangers access. She could see the narrow beams of torches as the door was slowly edged open enough to squeeze through.

There were many clues of there being no danger: Daryl helping to move the chair from the door, her own getting up and the voice saying ''it's just what Dixon told us it would be''.

**Hope you enjoyed, please review if you can spare the time! **

**Btw, does anyone else remember the game 'doctor, doctor we're all in a twist'? See I remember playing it as a child in school, anyone else- I really want **


	6. Chapter 6

**So I'm guessing no-one else has ahead the joy of 'doctor, doctor we're all in a twist'. Your childhood must have sucked. **

**So here we are next chapter, try to enjoy.**

The door was quickly opened to their guests, Beth flung herself into Sasha's arms, she was just so happy to see other survivors. Faces she knew. Tyresse's was patting her on the back, smiling ear to ear like it was a family Christmas.

''Man, I thought we were the only ones who made it.'' Tyresse's booming voice was full of relief, the same as everyone's emotions. You never know when the last time you see someone is going to be, and after days the hope begins to dwindle. Remember that, it will be important later on.

Daryl was smiling even, and Beth had dimples showing for the first time, sure there were closer kin to find, but for now this is what they needed. A million question were to be asked, but first the door had to be temporarily mended, and sleep was a necessary thing. Sasha and Beth headed upstairs, and there was no time to say anything before falling asleep in the twin room. Tyreese helped Daryl with barricading the door again, then took the instructions to the main bedroom.

Daryl made to lie on the couch with the pink fluffy blanket, he put it over himself, but despite his exhaustion it wasn't the same. He was worrying about Beth, in case she had nightmares. He couldn't hear her soft breathing and it was cold. Giving up Daryl sighed, giving up the delusion of sleep.

Personally, Daryl was happier staying up. He didn't trust the door, or the noise they might have made coming here. Not to mention he was now far too awake to sleep, he sat on the stairs on guard duty.

The sun must have risen and Daryl must have dozed off against the call. As he woke to a cautious Beth, biting her lip and trying to step over him quietly. He chuckled, making her jump. Placing a hand on her elbow to steady her and moving aside, she flashed him a goofy grin. Things were starting to look up. Her face looked exhausted as if she hadn't slept much more than he had, and it explained why she was dressed at the crack of dawn.

''Surprising that your little chicken legs couldn't fit through.'' She playful hit his shoulder, before sighing at the realisation that nothing would be carefree anymore. He grinned, one day she was going to tease him back without knowing she had opened her mouth.

Beth made a slightly over-zealous breakfast for them all. Sharing the remaining pop-tarts and making a fruit salad on syrup pears, pineapple and peaches. She was definitely a sugar addict like merle. Beth even went in so far as making stale coffee for them all. Tyresse and Sasha woke up to the noises in the kitchen and the sounds of Daryl fixing the door with a hammer. Who knew the two of them would make such an efficient team?

Despite her enthusiastic welcome last night, or early this morning, Beth hid behind Daryl like a child might. She gave out the plates with a forced smile. They sat around the table like a family, and it wasn't long before questions began to be asked. Contented to listen Beth shook her head, frowned and nodded sympathetically where necessary. Daryl answered questions posed to them, as Beth looked down at her bowl, slowly chewing fruit to look inconspicuous.

Beth got up to clean away the plates.

''Need some help with that, honey?'' Sasha prepared to stand up but Beth shook her head vehemently, taking the plate out of her hands gently instead. Beth wanted to say 'it's no problem, I like washing up,' but she couldn't. Daryl would have understood that in a look.

''How are you holding up, Beth?'' Sasha's voice went lower and softer, like a mother explaining something to a child. It was a topic that had to be brought up eventually, it couldn't be evaded forever. The silence was awkward, even for Dixon. ''What's the matter? You can tell us- we're family.''

Daryl stood up loudly, collecting the remaining dishes and mugs away. Allowing Beth to close her goldfish mouth, she looked at him like she wasn't sure what to do. Neither was he, but this could only get more awkward if he didn't intervene.

''Beth don't feel much like talking right now, let her grieve.'' His voice wasn't harsh, but held the tone that blatantly threatened any probing. They would have to know the story, but now right now.

A week quickly fled by them, they all settled into living as one unit. It was obvious to the newcomers that Beth and Daryl had developed an understanding. The girl certainly had a reliance on him, and she still hadn't muttered a word.

Daryl was feeling grumpy, Sasha and Beth still shared a room, and this left him not sleeping right even when he had the bed. His hunting skills were forfeiting because of it. Tyresse came out with him today, eager to try and catch some fish in the wide stream about a mile away. Sitting on the bank they shared crackers and spoke idly about man-stuff, which is something even the zombie take-over won't make a woman understand.

''What's up with Beth then?'' Tyresse had held back the question, until he was away from sensitive ears. Those ears mostly being Beth's, but his sister was having a growing hard time living with the silent teenager.

''Don't know, but I ain't gonna push her. She saw her pa die, that's enough to make even Glenn silent fer a while.'' He rubbed the back of his neck, lines of frustration on his forehead.

''What is it?'' tyresse looked him in the eye, daryl tried to shugg of the question stubbornly, but it was obvious. The answer was pressed for.

''Blame myself a bit. Didn't even notice I hadn't heard a peep the first night, was too tired, reckoned the same 'bout her.'' He breathed, saying it out loud made the weight seem lighter but more real. ''Second nigh' this guy stops by, we give 'im shelter. I go out to take a leak and check fer walkers- come back she's on the floor, knife 'gainst her throat. I left her ten minutes, she just lost everythin' and I let her get attacked, she couldn't call out to me.'' Daryl's voice was thick, disgusted with himself.

''she said nothin' since?'' Tyresse shook him head, ''she trusts you, treats you like momma duck. This not talkin' thing, it started at the prison, probably some real demons in her head to get out. It'll pass, and if I doesn't- well you guys are basically telepathic.''

Daryl wanted to believe it was true, that he wasn't the reason she was hurting so much right now. But still he wanted to fix this for what he had done. They were a team, and whether she was quiet like she used to be or silent as she is now, neither hell nor high-water was keeping them apart.

Beth walked along the empty isles of the store, picking up and stay packets or dented cans, it really wasn't the time to be fussy. Unsurprisingly this place had probably been looted out its teeth five times over, it sat on the main road and was big enough to hold everything one would need to find on an early Saturday morning in the apocalypse. She had the feeling someone had been here recently, the air was disturbed somewhat, nearly dried muddy footprints on the lino.

Her blonde hair swung behind her as she walked, Tyresse had eventually given up claiming he was too old and left to help siphon gas with Daryl. She didn't mind the silence, it was comforting. If her own slight steps echoed in here, so would a walkers. She looked down, kicking aside an empty can of soup. It rolled away nosily, hitting the shelf with a tenebrous clang. Beth looked back over her shoulder at it, seeing where it landed. She squinted trying to make out the shape beside it.

Coming in from a long loop, Tyresse and Sasha had the idea to check this place out, they had found a nights shelter here. The store was moderately sized and right near the road. It was easy to assign jobs. Tyresse and Beth to tackle the store, Sasha for watch out, and he would siphon some gas. Their roles did end up varying at the lack of walkers, it was disturbing really they couldn't all be at the prison still.

Daryl was happy working in the sun, it was good to be away from home, particularly since he knew they were relatively safe in this open space. Tyresse's efforts to help mean that nearly all the cars were drained for precious fuel, they could get to freaking Canada and back with this. He smirked, fiddling around with the engine of an old jeep, this would be easier than walking back. Besides it could handle the rough terrain, which they'd need if the plan was to stay put.

His sweat was pouring down his back, the only noises were of Sasha rummaging through cars and the gurgle of gas going in the holders. He walked back to the store, deciding to check up on her.

Then a noise stabbed the still air, and the last voice he expected to hear.

''DARYL!'' the usual soft voice of Beth Greene was high and panicked. His legs ran without him telling them too, tearing into the building. Isle after isle with cross bow raised he found her. She was knelt on the ground, holding a blood stained blanket. The look in her eyes was one of deepest pain and anger.

She held out the blanket to him, a small J.G was embroidered in the corner in Carol's soft calligraphic stich. The warmth left his body. Beth's posture gave way a bit, she slumped forward.

''Daryl,'' it was barely a whisper, not even a real plea. But his name felt so soft from her lips, it comforted him but scared him too. Her eyes were going out of focus, back into that catonic sate from the other day. No, she couldn't do this to him again, she simply wasn't allowed.

''Beth, don't you dare leave me now. Scream, cry just don't give me that look.'' That made her look at him, her eyes came back with ferocious hatred. He would have expected Maggie to do what she did next. He imagined that's the fire she had in her eyes that day in the prison, the day she knew she had to fight to live.

Beth stood up and screamed, she punched the nearest shelf. Unsatisfied, she pulled row after row of useless gadgets and shelves. Her limbs flew in rage, and Daryl stood back and watched. He could understand this kind of coping mechanism. He let his ears absorb the loud sounds, good luck to any walkers who try to take on this Beth. Her fists were bleeding but she couldn't feel a thing, tears of anguish down her face, cutting streaks in the dirt like war paint. The running footfalls of Sasha and Tyresse could barely be heard, and they stood and joined in the watching.

Her punches got lethargic, too heavy with emotion. She was ready to give up now, and was willing to fall to the floor and cease living. But Daryl caught her, pre-empting her giving up. His tight arm around her stomach held her so she knew she was real, kept her grounded from her heart. Her screams turned to soft sobs, her face turned into his neck. He gently spun her round, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and arms around his neck, like a small child. She was hardly anything to carry, compared to his heart.

He could hear the soft mutters of him name under her breath against his neck, her nimble fingers wrapping round his hair, should he try to leave. He made Tyresse drive them back, sitting in the back with Beth still holding tight.

He settled her into bed in the main bedroom, pulled off her shoes and belt. Then he lay beside her, allowing her to take all the comfort she craved. They fell asleep wrapped together, his name the only word on her lips. The morning would explain what had happened, but for now, the world was this room. Nothing more, nothing less.

**Review? xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

**I was so worried this chapter wasn't going to be long enough- like I was trying to find out ways to bulk it up, then bam it's too long! Maybe I should have split it.**

Beth woke up confused. Her limbs felt heavy as if she had been fighting world war III independently last night, the room was dark and filled with the sound of soft breathing. Realising the weight wasn't her own, but the weight of another person encasing her in his embrace, she smiled. It was a nice feeling, like being little and running to your parents bed to avoid the monsters. But Daryl wasn't a parent, not in blood or the way she saw him. Daryl was just Daryl. Yes, she relied on him, and trusted him and didn't want to spend anytime apart. But that didn't mean he was just her protector anymore.

A knock at the door woke startled her and woke him up, he sat up quickly. The door opened and Sasha came in with a tray. Tyreese opened the curtains letting the warm sun beam in. he smirked at the two of them. Daryl was looking like he wanted to die, his knees pulled up to his chest, the sheets to his chin. If it weren't for the piercing blue daggers, he would have laughed at the childlike reaction.

Beth, however, looked rested, back to her usual calm self. Her hair was tousled and she pouted in half sleep. There would be no question about how she was, because it was stupid and needless. She only needed to know she had them there for her, like she was for them.

It felt like a holiday, everyone gathered in one bed eating breakfast. Sasha managed to make Daryl squeal by putting her cold toes on his leg, a noise which made Beth burst into little giggles. She promptly got a painful flick to the ear, which only made her grin stupidly whilst holding the side of her hair. They discussed cartoons, beers and all the little things that annoyed them but they wanted back. Beth no longer an awkward silent child, communicated her own way in non-awkward silent womanhood.

They began at the store, letting Daryl find his clues. The empty cans were recently only three days old or so, and the mud trail led towards the woods. Great, tracking down another little girl in a forest. He pushed aside thoughts of what happened to Sophia. The footprints seemed heavy and staggered, this person was exhausted or injured, and carrying a toddler. In Daryl's head that meant they could be caught up to fairly easily.

They had packed the next day, making everyone's backpack equal in its important contents- just in case. A massive meal of squirrel and fish stew, which was less offensive after some careful spicing and cooking by Beth, had left them full and ready. It was a unanimous choice to leave.

The sight of the store and knowing Judith had been there made Beth whimper slightly, but there was nowhere else to start. Daryl held her hand quietly, leading them to the tree line. Weapons drawn they started trekking.

Hours later nothing had been said, a few stops to rest had been made and a hasty snack of green beans eaten. Time goes so quickly when in boredom or desperation, or bored desperation. The land scape looked the same to all of them, except Daryl, who wound himself into the head of the kidnapper. They let him lead them by the hand, metaphorically for some and literally for one, into the depths of dark woods. Trust, you build everything on trust. And they trusted Daryl knew what he was doing. Until he stopped. There were walkers.

Dead walkers. Lying there on the soft grass- decapitated. The natural paths of the forest split into two trails, down one more staggering footprints, down the other another body and another head.

''So what it's Michonne _or_ Judith?'' Tyresse asked, though it was on all of their minds. If you did this morally then you went for Judith, she was young and potentially in dangerous hands. However, anyone carrying a toddler around with them obviously weren't an immediate threat, in fact they were prolonging her chance of survival. Strategically, you went to look for Michonne, she was strong and resourceful. They needed Michonne. It was like picking a family member to die, who did they care about least?

Beth knew Michonne was the better choice. But her heart yearned for that baby girl, she needed to know if she was healthy and cared for, or she could never rest easy. The others were going to leave her baby. And Beth had to decide if she was strong enough to go alone at this point, leave the family she had now for a chance with her child. She didn't have Daryl's tracking skills, and couldn't hold off walkers for too long. But if toughening up meant getting to lil' ass-kicker, then that was what she was prepared to do.

''We split.'' Daryl's voice broke the silence, and they all sucked in a breath. ''Beth n' me follow ass-kicker- you find Michonne. We meet back here at noon tomorrow, if not we give it a week and meet back at the rendezvous point.'' It wasn't wise, but not entirely stupid either. They needed to cover more ground and this way no one would be left behind, but there was chance they wouldn't meet again.

Hugs and rushed farewells were in some way more painful and unusual than the usual tearing apart of immediate death, this sat slowly building in your stomach, rather than stab you in your gut. Beth held onto Tyresse, she pulled out a tin of peaches from her backpack and handed them to Sasha. It was her own way of saying goodbye.

The trail was harder without half their group, it felt lonely, like after months of being in the prison. You get so used to people being around, but you never get used to them being gone. The sun was up for another six hours or so yet, and they were both confident they were moving quicker that a person and a baby. Even so, that person had at least two days head start on them now, hopefully they were on foot, and it would be easy to track them that way. Trying to follow a vehicle was difficult and it was easier to fall behind.

Burning legs don't matter when you're looking for a loved one. Relishing the pain, Beth spurred on next to Daryl, nearly as quiet on her feet as he was. They stopped twice to have a rest, but both were anxious to sit still for long. Instead they began a system of sipping water on the move, alternating fast pacing with a slowed walk. Just to that tree and we can stop, that rock over there, until the top of the hill.

Daryl wanted to keep going, but he knew Beth would only keep pushing herself. She wasn't built for this like he was, but she wouldn't ever say stop. Hell, even as a walker she'd be searching for Judy, rather than biting people like she should. This meant a lot to her, a lot to him too, but ass-kicker and Beth were each other's tickets out of zombie land.

He held out his sweaty hand to her and she took it, squeezing it tight, letting him know she was still there. They clambered over rocks together, he occasionally holding onto her small waist so she could drop down steep faces. Together they remained attached, pulling each other on when the other got tired. Daryl couldn't remember feeling more comfortable with anyone else in his life, and that scared him.

They must have been travelling four hours by now, the light was lessening gradually, but the cooler air was coming in. thank god. They had just had to climb down a particularly steep hill that made their legs burn, getting back up tomorrow could be fun.

The wind picked up, the smell of decay hitting Daryl straight in the face, was this smell ever going to go away. He set to keep walking but Beth's small hand pulled him still. She moved her other hand to her lip and closed her eyes. Daryl listened round, he could hear the wind groaning through he trees- no wait that groaning was-

''Daryl.'' Beth voice whispered out, it wavered in fear. Pinpointing the direction was impossible, the only safe way was back, up that hill where they could easily slip or be caught up. Daryl counted his arrows, he had 7. Preparing the bow to fight and run, Daryl aimed in front of them.

''Y'gotta be shittin' me.'' Daryl cursed. Walkers began their slow marching ahead, still unseen and upwind, Daryl realised seven arrow was not going to cut it. It was a herd, and the blurred lines of it seemed to be a pretty big herd. They had about three minutes until the walkers would know they were here, and if that happened Daryl doubted survival was imminent.

He looked around, the trees around them were bare of branches until too high to reach, maybe if Beth got on his shoulders she could get to safety. About 100 metres away there was an old cherrybark oak tree. The branches looked low enough to grab on to and they could swing themselves up, it would be easy to wait out the herd with their food, sleep up there and move on in the morning. Only problem was it was 100 metres in their direction. The decision had to be made now.

Daryl grabbed her hand and pulled Beth into a sprint, she stumbled along beside him, her eyes wide with 'what the fuck are we doing?' some of the herd had seen their escapade and starting groaning and shuffling faster, like a game of Chinese whispers, the herd gained life and speed.

He pushed her up onto the lowest branch. Realising the plan Beth pushed off his hands, gaining purchase on the tree, straddling it quickly. He threw up the backpacks and then started heaving himself up, Beth's small hand wrapped around his forearms, using her thighs to keep her upright. Her grip moved to puling at his armpits and then the back of his shirt. When Daryl's legs finally were finally up with the rest of them, they wasted no time in climbing higher.

The walkers reached up at the braches with curling fingers, more and more of them pushing for food they couldn't have. In situations like this you feel bad for the poor piñatas at the old parties children used to have, as if you finally understand their pain.

There was nothing to do but sit and wait. Beth and Daryl picked parallel branches to each other, passing the can of spaghetti between them. They had another hour of sun left before it would begin to dim. He was tired from the long day and fear could only peak and go down. This come down from anxiety only made him realise how stiff and painful it was to move. Beth must have felt the same after she moved her leg after an hour and groaned.

''should sleep.'' Daryl said matter-of-factly. Beth only looked at him, and then down. So the girl was scared of falling was she? Sighing loudly, Daryl rummaged in the bags. He pulled out a blanket, it was the pink one, go figure. Then he got some rope and patted his branch.

''come over to the cool branch, girlie.'' She tilted her head at him, but shakily complied. Her legs felt like jelly, practically so high up, using her arms as much to hold onto other branches. Daryl had clipped the belts of the backpacks to a weaker branch above them, looping the arms over too in case, it bent with their weight, but seemed like it was going to hold. She stepped carefully onto the branch, crouching down to sit. He helped her, making sure she didn't fall.

Daryl pulled her back against him, her legs open over the branch pressing against his identical ones, and her back against his chest. She blushed at the closeness, chiding herself that it was the same as sharing a bed. The rope was tied around the trunk and then knotted at her waist. Daryl's hands trembled as he tied it so close to her in the intimacy he created. The blanket covered small Beth easily, but left slight cool gaps near the backs of Daryl's arms. Sleep came easily for her.

Daryl stayed up a while, contemplating their situation and trying not to notice that Beth smelt like softness and vanilla. Her head was back against his shoulder, and she occasionally twitched. Daryl could feel her heat keeping him warm and tied very much not to think anything that would cause something to come up between them.

Morning came quickly, the day before exhausting them both. Beth stirred before Daryl, her eyes opened to the realisation that she was in fact strapped to Daryl in a tree. Like a sixth sense, Daryl moved behind her. The sun was just about risen, and they could see the last of the herd of walkers in the distance stumbling away. In about 20 minutes they would be out of sight and the journey could continue. Eating breakfast, Beth wondered how long the undead could retain information, obviously _they_ had been forgotten for the march to find fresh meat elsewhere.

It would be stupid to say that both of them weren't looking forward to heading out the tree, after that they should head back to meet Tyresse and Sasha. Beth climbed down carefully, as they passed the bags between them. A few stragglers were still milling around, but they weren't at the base of the tree. Daryl considered them manageable, besides none of them had noticed their presence. Resting on the lowest branch, Beth crouched ready to jump down. Just as she got ready to jump, a lonely walker clambered from under the branch they were stood on, the startling presence made her slip. She was going to land straight on it.

Her breath suddenly all disappeared. A tight arm was stopping her falling. Daryl had his arm around her waist and was clinging on for them both. The walker had spun round, snapping at Beth's ankles. Coming to, she began kicking it away, writhing in panic. Daryl grunted trying to hold onto her, thankful she was so skinny. His arms burned, but there was no way to help her. Beth's small shrieks and Daryl's grunts drew some other walkers closer.

And that's how they found themselves stuck. He couldn't let go of her or the tree, which meant his crossbow was of no use. Her hands were holding onto his arms, t use as leverage to kick, but even so she couldn't reach the knife in her boot. Tears streamed down her face, as she lamely tried to avoid the hands of the walkers. Daryl's arm was trying to pull her up, but there just wasn't the strength or space to help her. This is how I die.

The walker's teeth gnashed a centimetre away from her calf when its head fell off. The other walkers soon dropped and Beth opened her eyes to the warm brown ones of Michonne. Instantly taking the weight off Daryl's arm by wrapping her arms around Beth's joint legs, Daryl felt the weight change.

He panicked. He couldn't see the mute and the basically mute katana user, but knew something had changed. Surely she would have screamed if she was eaten, but he could feel the soft expanding of her chest. Taking for granted the release of pressure, Daryl let go. He leaned up enough to turn his head, finally seeing their saviour. He sat up, stretching his arms tentatively, before jumping down.

Wordlessly, he and Michonne took out the remaining few walkers, who had only just reached them. The herd hadn't heard.

Beth face was still pink, as she wrapped her arms around Michonne. Daryl found it weird that she got a hug back. He had never seen the warrior woman show any real affection, and he had never seen her with Beth. Didn't realise they knew each other. Beth was the kind of person to wind herself into the coldest exterior though, he wasn't surprised if anyone broke the warriors calm it was her. But he still fell like he was intruding on some unknown friendship. Michonne held Beth's head up to look her in the eyes, both of them trying not to let tears spill, seemingly getting all the information she needed out of them. Damn that woman was good.

Michonne then looked over at Daryl, making sure he was unhurt. Daryl's face must have asked all the questions he hadn't get said.

''I came to tell you there was a herd passing through.''

**_Hope you enjoyed, I'm trying to update as much as possible, but I've committed myself to two stories and an education -so I'm sorry if I'm a bit flaky._**

**_Review for Daryl love! (Which I don't really have the right to give out)_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_So here we are! It wasn't too much a wait right? xxx_**

**_wow, that's enough updates for one night- do you forgive me for yesterday?_**

Beth was trying not to show how much this was all getting to her. But, the reality was that she couldn't efficiently keep going at this.

''Last few pieces, Beth.'' Michonne was sat on her legs, Daryl was patrolling the area. The fall against the tree left bark splinters in her back, lots of them. And somehow her wincing had been seen by Michonne. Next thing she's on the floor, top around her shoulders, Daryl made a hasty excuse and ran off. It would have been funny if Beth wasn't moaning in pain and being a little bitch about the pain, something's never changed. Being wrestled had hurt, but the power that could have gone into was nothing. And that scared her. Mistaking her shiver as one of pain, rather than emotion, Michonne patted Beth's shoulder.

Back in the prison, Michonne had started teaching Beth self-defence. That had quickly turned into Beth sharing fears, and Michonne sharing secrets. It was a strange dynamic. Michonne, who had been a lawyers in the last life, had never had many friends. She was too intimidating for anyone other than bitches, who she despised. Or men, who she usually slept with to keep them happy. But then she was forced into this sharing dynamic, and found herself actively seeking Beth out to share a thought. It was weird.

Michonne did, however, find it impossible not to laugh internally at how she'd found them. What a way to go, hanging out a tree like a giant Christmas bauble. She had just about seen the whole thing. Honestly didn't know they were up there until she saw a flash of grey fall and Daryl fling himself to grab her. Beth was lucky she didn't hit her head with that amount of force, and even luckier she had fought the pain of being severely winded to kick off those walkers. Never had she seen Daryl panic so much. And that was hilarious.

It was decided, much to Beth's pouting, that she should head home. Daryl refused to budge on the matter. Michonne was to escort her back, and Daryl was to try and find prints or anything that might lead them to Judith. Besides of the kidnapper had hit the herd, there might be things he didn't want Beth to see.

She hugged him tightly goodbye, it was their first real parting since the prison. That made her apprehensive. In her head she kept repeating: if anyone comes back, if anyone finds Judith, if anyone will be last – it will be Daryl. She prayed for his safety, ignoring the memories of her father. He surprised her by hugging just as tightly back.

''Stay safe.'' It was a command, then he turned to Michonne. ''Keep her safe.'' Michonne punched his arm, and picked up Beth's bag, ignoring the look she gave her for doing so.

They parted ways, Beth and Michonne hiked up the steep climb. Everything ached for Beth, but there was no complaining to do. The trek seemed longer and colder that it had before, she could help looking back over her shoulder at every small sound. Michonne would keep her alive, there was no doubt about that. But without Daryl she felt exposed. It was almost dark when they reached familiar woods, Beth was hugging herself, arms tightly wound around her.

Tyresse and Sasha were waiting in the hallway, embracing them both tightly. They looked exhausted, obviously staying up until they knew their family was safe. Michonne was the most exhausted though. Now that they were back and safe, the adrenaline stopped rushing. So dinner was rushed so they could all sleep it off.

''Where do I crash then?'' Michonne yawned as she spoke, clicking her back. Beth winced at the noise, making a face that made the others laugh. To make it worse, Tyresse clicked his knuckles one by one for. She threw the dishcloth at his face.

''Well Beth and Daryl shared the main room.'' Tyresse muttered humorously, Sasha burst into barking laughs. Beth's face went red and she tried to shout 'just once….that you know of' at him. There was a hyper air of teasing made from the final joining of being together again. New members bring back new energy, even if they are just as tired as you are. Daryl would kill them if he heard, but he wasn't here, which explained the timing.

''Aww, look how red she's gone. Its ok Bethy-boo I'll be your bed mate.'' Beth pulled away from Michonne who was pinching her cheek, swatting away the hand. Trying not to laugh along with them. It almost felt like normal. Tyresse and Sasha joined in making baby noises at her, tickling her ribs. She wriggled away, using her tea towel as defence, an uncontrollable grin on her face. They had all realised she needed the extra cheering up, and she noticed it. Sasha shared out another tin of peaches, winking at her.

''I can take the couch.'' Tyresse offered seriously, but Beth shook her head. She tilted her head at Michonne and climbed the stairs, hearing her being followed.

Beth pulled her jeans off, and then her top and bra. Sighing at the freedom. She heard Michonne smile at the relaxation of her stance. Pulling on a giant t-shirt, Beth climbed into her side. Leaving Michonne to find her own stuff. Beth's eyes fluttered, sleep finally hitting her hard. The something did. She groaned, Michonne had thrown a pillow at her face.

''I don't want Dixon's dribble pillow, give me yours.'' Her hand was outstretched like an expectant parent. Beth aggressively pushed the pillow aside, punching the new one. It smelt smoky and woodsy. It smelt like safety, her heart finally slowed and mind stopped racing.

The girl was out like a light. Michonne watched her curl up and immediately go to sleep. What had they been through, her and Daryl? Obviously something, she was so on edge. And that man had never got attached. Understandable though, if Daryl puts down his guard to anyone it would be Beth. It would take less than two days alone with her before you just had to look after her, not that she was weak, for the opposite. You wanted to see how hard she could fight.

About 3am, Michonne felt a small hand reach out and grab her, she sat up ready to fight off the walker. It was only Beth. She settle back down, pulling the cover closer over her exposed arms. She twitched and edged closer, Michonne let her steal the warmth. Daryl, you giant softie. Letting the girl snuggle, oh, this was going to be fun. She couldn't wait for Dixon to come home. She was going to tear his ass a new one.

Daryl was in the woods, tied to a tree again. He had picked up a small alcove in a rock where a campfire had been made, but the light had been too dim. The fire was new, only a day old if that. He could pick up the trail tomorrow and bring his little ass kicker to his Beth. Beth. To Beth, not to _his_ Beth. Wow, he was tired. Daryl closed his eyes forcing himself to sleep.

It had been weird. Beth was never loud, and particularly at the moment, but something was wrong without having her small breaths behind him. God she was so loud, always standing in the wrong places, hitting twigs. No one else would notice, certainly not the walkers, she was too light to make an obscene amount of noise. But for a hunter, it was easy to pick up on. Thinking about her like that made him feel like a predator, particularly when he realised he missed her sleeping near him. The pink blanket still smelt vaguely Beth-like, but its vastness was too much for one soul.

The next morning he woke at first night, all too happy to set out. Find baby girl 1, give to baby girl 2. The walkers seemed to have scared off the wildlife for the time being, leaving Daryl to sip soup as he walked. It was leek and potato, he smiled thinking about Beth's panicking. But still he wouldn't mind a bit of fresh squirrel. He could see her in his mind's eye, trying to baby Michonne. God, the woman would love that. How long could he leave Michonne with his family until she had to be a lone and left? It was hilarious to think. Daryl and Michonne were the same breed. They were survivors and they liked their space.

The perpetual landscape barely changed. Whoever this guy was he was strong, imagine being stranded here with a kid. The responsibility and all the paranoia would break him after two days, he could survive but worrying about a baby. After a herd. That was some strong mind frame. Death had unhinged most people, made it easier to lose it. Seeing dead people eat you for some reason made it hard to stay sane.

Beth was in fact doing just what Daryl though of her. She got up and made food for everyone, even made a snare outside to catch a small bird, or rabbit perhaps. It was no use going in trying to get a doe, let's be realistic. It was hard to stay still. So the others came in to find Beth polishing their mud-caked boots and cleaning guns and knives. When she wasn't doing anything, or they spoke to her, she fidgeted. Like a small child she needed Michonne to coax her into eating, but like a mother at war time she was at the window at every noise. There was a line of strong womanhood, wrapped around an inexpiable innocence from which she could never grow up from.

The trail was slow to pick up, but he progressed faster than a man and a baby ever could. The prints started getting easier to pick up. Tiredness made scuffles in the ground, it was like following a treasure map. Breathing in his cigarette, Daryl kept out of view, knowing he was close. He saw a blur up ahead. There you are, Beth, I'm bringing your baby home.

Daryl saw the blur, running away. The weight on the man indicated he was carrying something heavy. Bingo, this was exactly who he was looking for. That meant there were no arrows to the back of the leg, Daryl was going to have to run.

At the chase the man only sped up, but his attempts were futile. He was carrying a child and a lot more than Daryl's backpack. He was also malnourished and hadn't had a decent night's sleep. Daryl edged him to a tree. The man's face was gaunt, fatigued and unforgiving. Strapped tight to his chest was the small squirming figure.

Daryl's hand reached out automatically to reach for the child, but the man was quicker taking out a revolver and pointing it at Daryl. Daryl glared, raising his own crossbow in defence. The baby wriggled, and Daryl could feel his eyes moving between the man's face and possible baby Judy. The man saw this and smirked, he moved the gun. And pointed it at the baby's head.

**_Oh, poor kid! Hopefully you will review! Xxx if you have any plot ideas send them my way!_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**ok guys so here it is, it may not be up to scratch. I've had a hell of a day, like you have no idea.**_

''What the fuck?'' Daryl lowered the crossbow. His own life he could gamble, quite happily at times. But his little ass-kickers? Not even an option.

The man's lip twitched, almost smiling. He looked at Daryl with impenetrable green eyes, keeping the gun cocked casually to the brown curls of the child's head. He was weary and exhausted, still panting heavily from the run. But there was a coldness that this world made you harbour in even the softest of hearts, and this reflected in the casual coolness with which the man threatened the child he had been keeping alive. He was most likely bluffing, but that's not a chance Daryl wanted to take, people were insane in this world.

''Please, I think that's our baby-'' Daryl's own pathetic growl surprised him. Really, he was getting soft. There was something about bringing this kid back to Beth that he knew he had to do, he would die trying. Totally literally.

''That you left for dead.'' The man cut him off. Accusatory and blaming. The word 'our' was liable to do that, without the explanation that they were under heavy armed attack.

Daryl shook his head, as if he didn't already feel guilty enough about only pulling Beth out of there. Though he was secretly quite happy with his choice, Judith was a different matter. She was on the bus for all he knew! Damn it, was every damn person in the damn prison his damn responsibility all of a damn sudden?

''I ain't askin' fer me, but the lil' girl's mother. I know where she is.'' Daryl's voice went low, no use hiding the situation. He needed Judith back, and there was nothing more convincing than the truth. The man's eyes softened at the sound of 'mother', obviously he knew the simple reasoning of keeping baby and her mum together. He nodded.

''You gonna have to prove it. Bring her here?'' the man's voice was still cold, but he shrugged a bit indifferently, all too happy to let Daryl slip away.

''So what, you can take off?'' Daryl grew defensive, and he understood why the gun was raised a little closer to the child's head. He took a step back, closing his eyes and counting. Fuck this.

Daryl had no straws of which to grasp, there was nothing he could possibly say that would convince this man to come with him. It was too easy to ambush someone this way, steal their supplies and leave them for dead. People weren't better than that anymore. It had to be acknowledged, Daryl couldn't lead this man anywhere without some form of trust. But relationships weren't his forte.

''What's her name?'' The man surprised him. And it made Daryl's mind stop and he literally couldn't make sense of words or meaning.

''Who Beth?'' it was the only female name he could think of. Is that what he wanted? Beth's name, and that surely couldn't give him much information. Hadn't they just been talking about motherhood?

''The baby? I've been callin' her love-bug, same I did with my kids.'' The man's eyes softened and he put his gun away, slipping it into the back of his trousers.

''Judith.'' Daryl whispered, he physically slumped. So happy that the threat was removed. The man looked down at the child, leaning back slightly to look down at the face of the child. He called the name at her, from here he couldn't see the reaction.

''You call her.'' Sighing, he unclipped the holder, pulling the baby out against his chest. Turning her around. Judith's big blue eyes hit his and his face lit up.

''Hey lil' ass kicker,'' he watched Judith's eyes look up to him, she gurgled happily and reached out her chubby fists to him. He looked at the man's face and stepped closer to take her.

''Take me to your group, I stay until I'm patched up -you keep…ass kicker'' Daryl nodded, puling Judy into a tight hug, it felt weirdly relieving. He had his baby girl one back. Judy for all it was worth was babbling an incomprehensible conversation at him, pulling his hair with small fists.

They talked, primarily the man, about his own children. Lola and Sam, neither of them had made it. He was headed to Fort Benning when he heard the explosions of the prison, and with that amount of noise he had no choice but to head to the prison since all the walkers were encircling him. He found Judy amongst all the debris, all he could see was man on man fighting each other. He needed to hide out in the trees, leave before he got hurt. But his eyes were locked on the screaming car seat. It wasn't in him to leave her, not in the hands of those people.

Daryl had to interject there, and explained they had been attacked by the other side. It was no excuse, this world was cutthroat enough without worrying about fellow man.

Judith for her part refused to settle down, apparently she had refused to sleep properly since being rescued, and she yawned but kept her small eyes fixed over Daryl's shoulder. She was the only one he'd let nibble and dribble on his jacket.

It was greying over when they got back the next day, small droplets of rain were making Judith fussy, so she was protected under a blue blanket that Kenneth had given him. The small house came into view, and he could see the relief wash over his face. Daryl could remember what it felt like to sleep in trees and trucks, no wonder this guy was picking up step.

The door opened, flying almost off its hinges. Beth had been by the window for the last few days. Daryl had just stepped over the wall when she crashed into him. Kenneth watched with curiosity, this little thing was her mother? Three other people left the house, all imposing and strong in their initial stance. Noticing the situation they all came round to hug Daryl and smile and laugh. It felt like he was intruding a family, the way he was welcomed back so warmly. Wow, it had really been a while.

His eyes flicked over to the blonde girl, she had prised the baby off Daryl, holding her tight. Judith was crying along with her, clinging her arms round her neck. They had missed each other. Kneeling in the ground and rocking her, he could hear her small sobs. Judith's hand wrapped around the blonde's t-shirt, refusing to ever let go. There was no doubt about this.

He wasn't the only one watching, Daryl was awestruck. Had she been this pretty when he left here? Or maybe the vastness of her love for the child made her face light up in a way no one but a parent would understand. He nodded at Kenneth. But his gaze went quickly to her blue eyes, wet with tears and so much thanks. He knelt next to her, stroking her back. Beth looked up at him, her dimples wide and showing. She pulled him in close, sandwiches Judith who didn't mind the attention at all. They sat on the ground hugging.

Michonne smiled to herself, winking at Sasha who only giggled with uncontrollable mirth. Tyresse was walking over to the man, sharing details and inviting him in. Slowly they all filtered into the house, everyone's hearts lifted and wanting to celebrate.

Beth as ever was only too happy to make dinner, but not before she got to clean little ass-kicker up. Daryl and Tyresse had given the ropes to Kenneth, showing him a place to crash and fresh things to wear. But Daryl soon went back to the kitchen, where Beth was blowing soap bubbles. Judith was sat in the sink, splashing around in the water. He leant against the door a smile on his face. It had been worth the burning in his legs and the heaviness of his eyes.

He just watched from the door, Beth was drying Judith with a fluffy towel, kissing her feet. Judith giggled tiredly, letting her mummy dress her, belly full on soft soup. Michonne silently joined him, leaning on the opposite side than him, they were aware of each other, but were just happy to just see Beth's smile a while longer.

Pulling Judith to rest head on her shoulder, wrapped safely in a clean blanket, Judith's eyes fluttered half closed. Staring at the only mother she had ever known. As naturally as ever, Beth started singing a slow lullaby. Her voice was sweet and soft in its non-use, Judith's eyes instantly closed, her breathing slowing to a gentle rhythm. Continuing to rock her gently, Beth could only stare and sing at her little miracle. Tears spilling over her cheeks. This moment couldn't end.

She looked up and met Daryl's eyes, he was smiling slightly next to Michonne. Blushing red, the door opened and Tyresse snuck in.

''Heard you from outside, that was beautiful Beth.'' Tyresse whispered to her, kissing her cheek. Beth blushed harder, Sasha who had been napping on the table only nodded in agreement. The only person who looked shocked was Beth. She had been singing? Out loud. It felt so natural.

Smiling, she heated up dried pasta and sauce, one handed. The smell rose through the small house bringing Kenneth down stairs, she smiled at him as he walked in. Wow- that was disarming. He took a missing seat next to the non-scary woman.

Food and company were so good after rationing and one-sided conversations. He hadn't realised how tired he had been of real life, but this felt bizarrely familiar. A scene from the last life time. Whatever made this group work, well it worked. The kitchen was warm and he felt safe, the nap had done his paranoia a world of good. Everyone was mostly quiet, flicking their eyes to Beth and Judith who were happily and lazily playing at the end of the table. Daryl leant over with a fork, feeding Beth as she bounced the baby. That was the last thing he expected the redneck to do.

In the woods the man had come off as tough, possibly he had thought the baby was his weakness. Most men still held weird integral things like that, but the strength in his gaze and body showed a man of steel. He was unyielding and perfect. And it seemed the tenderness only extended as far as this woman.

The woman, Beth. More of a girl in size, with her tiny frame. He wondered how someone like her had lasted so long, then he looked at the guy feeding her off his plate and it made sense. There was an unspoken bond there, whatever it might possibly be caused by. She was certainly pretty, her blonde hair and blue eyes, that probably made her look younger. Earlier he had heard her singing, but nothing since then had been said by her, it was beautiful. There was no one else he would rather give that baby to, obviously they loved each other. But how old was she? Barely old enough to have given birth, much less to survive in this world twice the size she is now. Her eyes held pain like the rest of them, but it suited her, gave her some depth. If not she might just float away.

Finally Beth settled Judith in a bassinette found in the attic by the side of the bed. She was leaning over the side of the bed, just wanting to make sure she wasn't going anywhere. Daryl eventually pulled her back, she jumped a little. He had managed to change without her even noticing.

''Thank you.'' Her voice was gentle. Beth lightly pressed her lips to Daryl's in thanks, before snuggling comfortably next to him. His heart stopped and it hit him. He loved hearing her voice, and her soft breathing. He loved her smile and laugh. And the heart she put into everything for them all. He couldn't imagine spending another day apart.

He would do anything for her.

**_any ideas? xxx_**


	10. Chapter 10

**_This was going to be a happy, cute chapter, and then the doctor's office called me and woke me up from my nap, so now I'm groggy and grumpy (they're giving a person with a phobia of needles a blood test). If I kill anyone off at this point I apologise but you know why…._**

Daryl woke up early, the shuffling sounds of Judith were turning into small whimpers. As to not disturb Beth, he quietly rolled away, moving her hand off of his own. He picked up a fussy Judith, wrapping her little blanket around her and bounced her slightly like Beth did. He was little rough and not a smooth as her, but Judith groggily just yawned, rubbing her tired eyes. Looking around the room Daryl could see a restful Beth, her blonde hair was splayed across the entire length of the pillow. She was very obviously biased to his side of the bed, where she had fallen asleep.

Little eyelashes were fluttering closed again, the attention she wanted had been given. Daryl smirked, this little girl was going to be so spoiled with attention. He gently moved Beth's arm to slip Judith underneath. Judy went straight to snuggling her cold face against Beth's warm shoulder. Instinctively Beth held her a bit closer. The two of them together were really something.

He left then. Sneaking s=down the stairs to the kitchen. It was still dark outside but Michonne was sat at the window. She nodded at him, before going back to her watch. They were happy to sit together in companionship, muttering ideas of plans to each other. This place was great, and homely. Good for the groups esteem, but it was too small for them all, particularly if Kenneth stayed long or the rest of the prison filtered through. It was weeks later, it was unlikely. Besides it was spring now, the perfect time to try and go to find someone else. Nearer to amenities but away from potential other groups or herds. Somewhere secure was going to be a godsend. Somewhere like the prison was an unrealistic expectation, but it's the kind of thing that they needed.

The sun rose lethargically, shining in the open window. Soon the others would drift in, position themselves around the table and start pointless morning conversations until Beth brought them coffee. They could do it themselves of course, but she glared at anyone who tried, liking to have some sort of functional routine.

Sure enough, Beth came down after a disgruntled Sasha, who put her head in her hands and dozed off, dribbling on the table. Beth had Judith in her arms, both still dressed in pyjamas. Without asking or looking for any indication, Beth placed Judith on Daryl's lap. He watched her walk away, her pale legs exposed in a large t-shirt that fell mid-thigh. It hung off her small frame, sticking slightly at the hips and chest. He wondered if anyone else saw how frustratingly effortless her beauty was. Having Judith brought back a rosiness he hadn't seen since the prison, and it seemed knowing she was alive was enough to keep a hint of a smile at her lips.

She softly went into singing under her breath, fussing around with cardboard cereal and mashing fruit chunks for Judith. The small kettle whistled quietly with her, as she set up all the cups with the right amount of coffee and sugar. They all had it black now.

Kenneth headed down the stairs, his back clicked when he stretched, but he rest a level of energy he hadn't in a while. He was still tired, but his energy reserved were recharged at least, hopefully he could remain a few more days until he was set up to go. Looking into the kitchen he saw the blonde running around, she saw him and smiled holding up a coffee cup in one hand and sugar in the other. He held one finger at her, before helping carry the mugs to the table. He managed to have them taken off him to be placed in front of their appropriate owners, she smiled nicely at him, but still he felt a bit embarrassed.

Looking down he saw Daryl sat against the wall. His legs were outstretched, Judith on his legs. He was pretending to let her fall before catching her with soft reflexes, she giggled, holding her hands around his finger, leaning back to suspend herself. The child looked at him, and smiled and dribbley smile. Beth settled a mug next to Daryl, he noticed it was slightly fuller than the others.

Judith looked at Beth expectantly, Beth only tilted her head at her clearly asking 'what?'. Judith let one hand go of Daryl to reach upward. She almost let herself slip to the boiling coffee, but Daryl was too quick at scooping her up and settling her more securely. Still Judith's hands reached for Beth, she gently placed her hands under the baby's arms lifting her and spinning her. Daryl got himself up, understanding Beth's coded layout for breakfast, settling the right old cereals to the right person. It was a strange world where you could pick what you liked.

Breakfast ended with the conclusion of jobs. Kenneth's leg muscles were burning with every step from their overuse, and he wasn't as young as he had been once. Daryl was keen to get out and start hunting, the pressure of extra members was resting on him. Likewise Sasha and Tyresse wanted to go back to the store to pick up the rest of the food they never got to scavenge after the Judith debacle. There might also be some useful stuff in the cars, so they headed out together. Michonne was checking the area, eradicating the threat of any stumbling walkers and seeing for signs of the others. She headed out with Daryl, not before he slipped a small gun down the waist line of her shorts.

Beth helped Kenneth to living room, to the sofa Daryl had been on when they first arrived. She shook her head of the thought. It had been moved during Daryl's absence to the window, so you could watch out the window and see anyone approaching. The small task felt better than doing nothing, but Beth made a small pile of books next to him too. Just in case.

He didn't read them, instead he covertly watched her play with Judith, helping her support herself onto her feet and try a few steps. After every few supported steps, Beth blew raspberries on her stomach so the little girl giggled. She reminded him of him wife somewhat, that youthful love over a chid they should have waited years to have. But they had managed, he got a job that just about supported them and he still got major holidays off. The stress wasn't even remembered now, why had he spent so much time worrying about it? Kenneth closed his eyes, listening to the baby imagining it was Lilian and Lola. It was a dull ache of recognition that he had lost them, they were _different_ now. But his little boy was at total peace, up there with God. He had never been a strictly religious man, but he felt the need to be now.

Out in the woods, Daryl was walking with Michonne, they would split their ways when they got to the road. But for now they trudged along, hyperaware of their surroundings. If you're stuck in the woods in an apocalypse and you're already a redneck badass with a crossbow, the only partner you need is a woman with a katana.

They reached the road the road slowly. Turning to leave Michonne looked at Daryl, her rare real smile.

''Don't hunt too long, daddy.'' She walked off silently, leaving Daryl's humoured and puzzled face behind. She hadn't expected to see Daryl ease into this role so easily, he was really becoming a pseudo-Rick, without the dead wife delusions. She could see right through him, having spent long periods of time on watch together and on runs. He was one of the people she could stand to talk to, not the way she liked talking to Beth, but they had alike minds. And alike minds can bounce off each other to find the best solution, it had saved their lives before. It had brought them this home.

Michonne loved what they had, but she was never one to be able to stay cooped up inside with Beth, who even when silent had her own way of expressing things. She had let her mope around for a few hours each day, then forced her to do some trivial task. Her eyes shined with the need to do something, and it was obvious that even sharpening everyone else's knives or alphabetising the list of books on the shelf. Beth had seemed hopelessly lost without Daryl, she wondered if she noticed it in herself. At night Michonne often had to duck flying limbs before being nuzzled like mother hen. Personally, she found it hilarious that the two of them gave what the other lacked.

No signs were found of any fresh tracks, sighing Michonne told the group over squirrel stew that most likely she would have to head back to the prison and they could track from there. She would need Daryl for a few days or weeks, perhaps even taking the whole group in pursuit. There was no one way of doing things.

Beth resigned herself upstairs to sort out the bed situation, now they had time to worry about it. Tyresse and Sasha were happy to continue sharing the twin room, inviting Michonne to take the air mattress on the floor between them. Daryl had made a joke about a samurai sword and an air bed and been punched. Silently it was acknowledged that Daryl and Beth were happy to share, since no one else stopped her screaming and lashing out at the bed partner. Judith was a simple case. Kenneth had taken the baby's room, so the crib was being folded away and lent flat against the wall in the operation-dining room downstairs. There was still little room, but a makeshift bed and if she could just clear out a few of these draws for him.

Downstairs Sasha was playing aunty, making Judith play peek-a-boo and hitting Tyresse to when she didn't get a girl. Tyresse complained about his sister pinches and slaps but they and Judith expel baby words. Kenneth looked across, Daryl was nursing a partially drunk bottle of boiled water and fruit juice, Beth was adamant Judith would have no germs at all. Suddenly there was a loud squeak from upstairs and the noise of a door being frantically pulled open.

Everyone was up and running into the hallway, as Beth tripped down the last few steps in haste. Daryl pulled her up before she face planted, she moved like a little doll. The smile indicated she was safe, but they all looked at her like she was insane. In retaliation to the question, Beth held up a woman's hand bag, reaching inside and pulling out a packet of tic-tacs. Kenneth smirked as Sasha and Tyresse went into full laughing mode, making Judith giggle in ignorance. Michonne made a grab for the box and ran into the living room, Daryl felt coolness of Beth leaving him. He hadn't noticed he had still been holding her up against him.

In the living room Beth tried to tackle Michonne, who in fairness to her was playing easy, but still flipped them over, pinning Beth's body with her strong legs. Michonne took out a tic-tac putting it in her mouth and making an exaggerated noise of pleasure. Beth's arms reached up but Michonne kept them just out of her reach. They were like children. Michonne took another, making the same noise and Beth pouted still struggling. Tyresse and sasha at this point were on the sofa holding their sides, it was about time they had a reason to go into a giggle fit. After a good five miutes of the others letting eth be sat on, as they went back to small talk, ignoring small grunts on the background, daryl walked over. He was strong and swift enough to lift an unsuspecting Michonne off Beth, she was laughing too much to tighten her legs.

''Unfair Dixon, let the girl fight her own battles.'' There was no malice in her voice, instead she leant down to grab Beth's hands and pull her up. Making an 'o' mouth at Beth, the girl caught on and opened her mouth, Michonne slipped in a tic-tac to a smug Beth. She then slapped her ass as she walked away, Beth spun around with a red face. Daryl raised an eyebrow at Michonne, who only laughed at both their faces. Teasing was just so much fun.

The two took exactly 73 seconds to become giggling school girls again at the discovery of an iPod. Beth, with shaky hand, pulled out the device flicking it to play any music. An old cringy hot chocolate song, which both Michonne and Beth were all too happy to start dancing badly to. Everyone but Daryl, who took the baby as a shield, got up to sing and dance. Song after song until the battery was dead, he watched her singing along and laughing, her feet never still. Rather than show her age, it gave a glimpse the personality of Beth, the one that peaked through sometimes. But everyone had to let their past farm girl shine through, and it warmed all their hearts.

Beth was drunk on the high of dancing and laughter, a combination she rarely got to experience anymore. Her body was buzzing as she changed into some pyjamas, opening the door wide when Daryl knocked to make sure she was decent to his un-expectant face. There was some inexplicable force behind her. So taking advantage of surprise Beth leant up and kissed Daryl.

And after a moment he kissed back.

**_Ok so there we're done, ooh what's gonna happen?! xxx_**


	11. Chapter 11

**_Here we are my lovlies, the next instalment – aren't you a lucky bunch I'm so committed? xxx_**

Daryl stepped back, hid breath was heavy, and everything felt heavy. Beth's eyes fluttered open looking at him, lips parted still, her breathing as erratic as his. This shouldn't have happened, he thought. But if not why did it feel so rewarding, and so damn good? Oh, god he wanted to do that again, but he couldn't this was Beth. He shouldn't have kissed her, wait didn't she kiss him?

Beth looked like she was having similar dazed thoughts, but in her usual practicality she simply pulled Daryl into the room and shut the door, gently pushing it closed. Daryl blushed at the innocent touch she had to give him. His arm felt like it was on fire and numb with cold at the same idea. Snap out of it, anyone could have seen you. Beth bit her lip, trying to meet his eyes. He evaded them until his curiosity took over. He needed to know if she was disappointed, angry or something scarier. Something else it was. Her eyes flashed and a grin appeared on her lips. Her lips pressed chastely against his cheek like any other night, but he flinched this time.

Realising she had climbed into bed and pulled the covers up, Daryl set about sorting himself out. He dressed himself and climbed in behind her, she snuggled back as always. He could smell the soft fruitiness of her shampoo and this night it felt like so much more.

The following week was repacking and organising, keeping everyone ready to explode. They could all recite a series of addresses and roads and plans and tactics. Beth sighed in the hallway, Judith was holding onto her jean-clad legs, standing independently, albeit wobbly. Most of the plans and tactics involved Beth running or hiding with maybe, she sighed again. It seemed the image of being a child would never fade away, not even when she was holding a much younger girl as a mother. She tried not to let her lips purse, she should be grateful. But only Michonne seemed to appreciate what Beth wanted, helping spend any spare moments of rest to training Beth instead. It was good to feel like she could push off a walker and maybe even a non-undead person, if that person was a child or woman as equally weak as her, but still it was something.

The rest of the time Beth watched Daryl from the house, having him around made her feel light and heavy at the same time, like his look might break her. They hadn't talked about the other night, and she was still unable to start that conversation. Uh, why couldn't her voice just come back? But the idea of voicing anything made a small panic rise in her throat and she would forget to breathe. An arm came out of nowhere and supported her. She hadn't even realised she was wavering.

''Don't push yourself,'' Kenneth patted her back and took Judith, forcing Beth into a chair. She felt a cool bottle thrust into her hands and small circles on her back. You could tell he was a father. It only dawned on her how strongly the idea of never speaking scared her, but even more so the idea of talking was worse. For some inexplicable reason if she spoke things would get bad and their small island of safety would be destroyed. It was silly. They were leaving the island anyway.

Kenneth was still murmuring comforting things in her direction, whilst trying to wrestle a struggling Judy. The little girl was getting too heavy to hold for long without your arms going dead, but not get big enough to walk on her own. The door opened and closed, but Beth's vision was still slightly spotty and she was somewhere else.

''What happened?'' His voice was like ice water, pulling her back to reality. She couldn't be weak not near him, that wasn't an option. She tried to shake her head, trying to portray the idea of being fine. Pushing herself to her feet she went to hold her arms out for Judith, she would just act naturally. Her light-headedness had other idea, making her knees give way from underneath her. Daryl was there to steady her, she felt no better than Judith trying to walk. Kenneth was muttering something and Daryl nodded.

''Come on then, princess.'' He lifted her like she was nothing. How was he ever going to see her as an adult when she couldn't help near panic-attacks in the kitchen? Let alone go fight for the group. She wanted to cry, but that would only make it worse. She was as stupid little girl, who forced herself on him. She had an idea that her face was bright red and none too attractive to look at.

She could feel Daryl heavy gaze on her, after he settled her down on the sofa. Throwing a fluffy pink blanket on top of her and passing a stray rom-com they weren't going to take with them at her. She needed a break, from her own head, and the fact there was nothing he could do to get into her mind scared him. She could be thinking anything, going back to that place she was at the farm or numbing it all like when Zach died. Whatever it was, holding it in was making her fall part, and they all had their own ways to cope.

''You can cry,'' his voice sounded disembodied from even himself, it was like her pain was seeping into him. Blue eyes looked filled with doubt. It doesn't make you weak, he added in his head. The invitation made it impossible to hold in. like a puppet with cut strings she slumped, bringing her knees to her chin. The tears and sobs like squeaks made her impossible to leave, so he stayed. Resting himself on the floor, knees up himself, back against her sofa.

After a while he started talking, like he did with her. Telling her about his aunty Margie when she lost her baby old boxer in the local Wal-Mart. She was chased by security guards in search of the dog, who was happily hidden behind the meat deli counter nibbling on gammon. He glanced up at her, her cheeks going redder when he realised she had been watching. Her crying had definitely slowed down, it was only a case of letting out the pressure valve.

He turned round to look at her properly, carefully putting a hand on her arm and stoking it with his thumb. She shivered slightly, so he got up and tucked her in, his hair falling into his eyes. She brushed it back for him, and he was stuck leaning over her, her hand hovering near the side of his face. She was beautiful, did he think that too much? With her sunshine hair and baby eyes. a proper little angel in this hell.

His lips pressed gently against her, leaning in closer. She edged across letting him plant a knee on the sofa and one over her. Just kissing slowly like teenagers at a party, however the sense of trepidation made it somehow sweeter. More innocent than he had ever felt. It was just right.

He left her when her eyes started getting heavy, a small smile playing on her lips. She could nap, and he could warn the others that if they made any noise to wake her they'd have an arrow for an eyeball. No one challenged him on it. Instead they had all gathered in the kitchen, except Sasha who was finding the last of the underwear and trying to shove it into any crevice of a backpack she could find. There are something's you forget you like, and it seemed she was determined not to go through going without again.

Daryl took out the laid out mug of coffee for him, it was cooling off, but he was going to miss this. It's the small things that get you in zombie land. Michonne smirked at him as sat down, licking her thumb and rubbing at a small sticky spot of coloured Chap Stick on his cheek. She winked at him, and he glared back. Secretly happy she caught it before the others. Michonne seemed to know everything, but she was unwilling to share much.

It was their last night here, everything was done. They had packed and planned for every eventuality, and that smug sense of doing everything he could, was surmounted only by the fear of knowing anything could go wrong. The only thing he could do would be to give as much knowledge to his family as possible. It was dangerous, but they all felt the need to find the others. Except for Kenneth, though he seemed happy to join the group, and they were happy to keep him until he wanted out.

It was a strong group, in fact the weak links were vastly outnumbered. Sorry, Beth and Judith. And even the 'weak' made the group strong, which we saw in the First World War, morale makes men to soldiers.

Sasha was going to miss it here, she liked and appreciated the safety. Being in the prison they had numbed to the outside world, forgotten how bad it really was out there, and the walker count was only going up. Running from the prison was a cold wake up to reality, they have basically lived in the Hilton for the last few months. Besides they were able to goof off a lot, which is something they ought not to but still it was a necessity if you wanted to stay sane. That's why people twisted, she thought. The governor was only an example of this. Power and hopelessness gets into your head, seeds itself until you break. But here under this roof they had tic-tacs to wrestle with, Bridget Jones and lumbar support. Not to mention the constant paranoia! Out there was going to be a rough adjustment.

Beth was rubbing her eyes as she walked into the kitchen, she was so quiet that no one noticed. She gave a bleary smile at Judy who was sucking and nibbling on Daryl's finger, eyes wide and bored. The others were furiously goading and complaining in harsh whispers, heads down around the table. They were playing cards. Michonne looked up first, whilst confidently sitting back from winning the round- again.

''Dinner time?'' She said, everyone else jumped slightly at the sudden noise level. Obviously whispering had been the way to go for the last few hours. They all looked up sharply, smiling at her. She looked young with messed up hair, wrinkled hair and bare feet.

''Beth, tell Michonne to stop cheating'' Tyresse used a whiny voice, sticking a lip out like a petulant toddler. Beth wanted to laugh at the way a grown man of Tyreese's build could get away with looking like a kid. She really was the mother of the group.

''Not my fault you can't play-'' she punched his arm, he moaned dramatically practically saying the word 'oww', although Michonne was probably the only woman who could cause him pain.

''Yeah, loser.'' Sasha punched him other arm. Playfully then leaning away so he couldn't retaliate. Beth could imagine she had gotten a lot of dead arms as a child. Judith giggled and clapped her hands at the familiar game of 'hit uncle Ty'.

''Hey! Beeeethhhhh! They keep hitting me!'' Tyresse cried loudly. Michonne punched him again, muttering 'tattle' under her breath. And so they continued, Sasha and Michonne bullying and teasing loudly over a game. Beth zoned out and looked across at Daryl. Ass kicker was still attentively clapping with a drooling smile, but Daryl was looking at Beth. His gaze was piercing, and he blushed when he met her innocent look.

And both wondered what would happen tomorrow.

**_I would much appreciate your ideas- you know if you want xxx_**


	12. Chapter 12

**_Sorry I updated neither story yesterday, I was going to, but it was my boyfriend's birthday and I got a free cocktail from the place. So, I'm a light weight, and couldn't even type my name, due to no glasses/alcohol combo. So I apologise. _**

Nobody slept well. It's impossible when you know what's only hours away. Like in the old world and you be waiting for your holiday to start as a kid, but the night before you'd be too awake to sleep although you knew you needed it. Or Christmas. And all those nice things are hard to remember at all.

So the morning saw groggy faces at dawn, all with churning stomachs and a sense of trepidation. It wasn't too late to play coward and make it here, but that was neglecting the others. Everyone was dressed in light clothes, they still had no vehicle to use. The ones at the store had little going for them, dead batteries, flat tires or simply couldn't be awoken by being hot-wired. It would be nice if they got a car expert soon, they were limited by curious discovery, ricks training and old crime films. But going on foot wouldn't be bad, if they avoided herds, walkers were each enough to pick off.

Beth poured out the last of the all-bran between Tyrese's and Michonne bowls, no use taking boxes of cereal, and the plastic sheeting would only let it be crushed to dust. She did the same with the cheerios' and then the frosted flakes, passing the latter two to Kenneth and Sasha. They all ate gratefully, and Beth looked up from the kitchen and smiled at her little family. She did want to think this may be the last time it's like this with all of them, but…

Judith was on Sasha's lap, she was crying loudly, pushing her fists into her eyes at the early start. That was another thing, what happens when Judy cries and there's no wall. Beth came over to the stubborn child, Sasha was trying everything but was at the end of her rope within five minutes. Accepting Beth pulling her, Judith flung her arms around Beth's neck, rubbing her wet face into her shoulder. Beth patted small soothing circles on the little girl's back, who moved to whimpering slowly in annoyance. Her other hand twirled soft curls gently, further helping the cries to lessen.

Daryl knew Judith was getting to that age that only mummy will do. And that caused major problems out there. He fed Beth a spoonful of cheerios', which she happily took. For one, it meant Beth would have to carry Judith, and that in turn meant someone else had Beth's and Judith's bag. He took a spoonful himself. Secondly, the girl was heavy and getting restless, and the crying would attract walkers as much as the soft noises of Beth singing to calm her. Beth took another from him, the others were accustomed to their bizarre telepathy, and Kenneth was the only one who didn't have the joy of knowing how quick its onset was.

They all geared up and waited for them all to convene around the front, like scouts waiting for their scout master. Daryl was helping to tighten Kenneth's backpack, he happened to have the dodgy one he brought with him. Michonne's bag was bigger than the others, she was carrying Beth's things, but she knew she was stronger than most the others- maybe not Daryl, one day she would be, that'd teach him. Beth ran out, knowing she was delaying the group, it was only about half an hour after breakfast. She turned and taped a message to the front of the door.

''BG + DD + SW + TW + MC + JG + new guy- 4 weeks after prison''

Daryl nodded at her, knowing she was keeping the morale alive for anyone who stumbled here now. In her head it was Maggie. Maggie would come here and know her writing before even reading it, and her and Glenn would know that they were safe. And if it was Rick, he'd see only his little girl's initials. Kenneth muttered about being called 'new guy' at an attempt of a joke, and it provided tense smiles from them all.

Judith was strapped in tightly to the front of Beth, and they were about two hours into their journey. The next rendezvous was about 4 days on foot for him, so with Judith and a group it would be a tad longer. They walked systematically. Daryl scouted out front, picking routes and checking for disturbances. Michonne behind him, more or less circling around, picking off walkers like it was sport. Kenneth and Sasha were aside of Beth, there to stop anything getting close to baby, or Blondie. And Tyresse took the foot of the group, helping Michonne take care of any followers.

It was going well, their planning lead to an efficiency, which managed to make zombie land almost a joke. Having left just after dawn, when the sky was at its highest point the group stopped. The settled for lunch in the middle of an empty road. The tarmac was shaded by trees but far enough away that any walkers that emerged from the tree line could be spotted. Not even a burnt out vehicle in sight.

Beth took Judith out the baby sling. She immediately started crawling around, trying to remove herself from the indignant torture she had suffered all morning. She made her way to Kenneth, seemingly to forget he had put her in that device as well. Beth lay down, her legs ached and her head had been full of thoughts at every step, thinking about her family, both dead and alive. A childish part of her wanted sympathy and hugs, but everyone had to have been in the same position now. Rule- everyone loses someone in zombie land.

Daryl threw himself down beside Beth, she looked up a bit startled. She had that look on her face, the look of guilty thoughts. He passed her a bottle of water, and as she sipped, he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He could feel her weight lean into him a little, accepting the comfort. There were millions of thing to say, but they would mean nothing. These were problems that would plague her until she died. He felt his throat tighten a little at the idea of a world with no Beth.

The next two days passed much the same, stopping occasionally for sleep and food, but making heavy legs go further. Judith had resigned herself to babbling quietly and sleeping half the day. They followed the road they had picnicked at, the ground was at least even now, but the lack of land scape provided little stimulation. It occurred to them all at different times, that they were little better than the walking dead people. Just wandering lethargically in hope for humans.

The sky was setting slightly, but with no luck finding any form of shelter it would have to be trees or ground camp again. Michonne and Daryl were happy to take watch, but the lack of sleep was slowly getting to them too. Grating down the energy they tried to save. Beth missed looking at the sunset to appreciate the colours and the beauty, rather than cursing them for meaning they would have to sleep in this creepy place again. Judith head was rested against her chest, already happily dozing off, hearing the sounds of Beth's heart.

They had about an hour of orange light left, when the walkers came from nowhere. Michonne whistled loudly after the first few were taken down. More poured form the dark shadows of the tree line, like some fucked up soldiers of darkness, and Daryl started shooting any stragglers. If Michonne was holding them off and there was still this many, that meant danger. Kenneth and Sasha started moving around Beth a bit tighter, holding Judith and stabbing zombies was too dangerous.

Tyresse had joined in, using his hammer and a spare knife to hold off the tree line with Michonne. Daryl looked at the two of them, waiting for them to break ranks and show that they should run.

''Tyresse, behind you- oh fuck-'' Sasha voice was high and frantic, she sprinted to the walker, throwing her knife from metres away. It stuck into the walkers head mere inches from Tyreese's arm. Beth heard herself scream as Sasha fell, but it was only due to the force of her throw. She got up from her overbalance, dumping the backpack to help Tyresse, obviously no longer trusting her brother's life in his own hands.

Daryl was using a machete now, taking out the lone walkers from the opposite side drawn by the sounds. He'd have to trust the others to keep the herd at bay. The walkers had poured out, blocking the road ahead, and they knew the woods were no safer in this light, and the road behind them offered no shelter. They could only run so long, but the reanimated corpses just kept going. More loners on Daryl's side started over whelming even him. Beth's eyes got huge and wide, she couldn't lose him.

''You need to go help him.'' Kenneth heard the small soft voice, but couldn't place it at all. Was he dead? He felt a small push at his arm, Beth looked at him. Wait, she just spoke. He only nodded, slightly dumbfounded. Her eyes had an innocent look of no compromise, but he felt reluctant to leave mother and baby with no protection. Beth was drawing her own knife out, and no walkers had reached as far as them yet. Trusting her, Kenneth ran to help Daryl, taking down his first walker in weeks.

The two sides were holding off the walkers, the herd was thinned out, not half the size of the last they encountered. Memberships still available. But the group were tired and malnourished, their movements slowing. The occasional monster would slip by and Beth would take it out, using Sasha's throwing knife trick. The floor around her held around six walkers now. She felt so hopeless. Judith was whimpering at being jerked around and the obvious air of death, so Beth had to bounce her and mutter soft things, whilst grunting at the ache in her arm.

There wasn't any time to look at the others, just focus. Try and get to that place at the prison. Hit and next one, they were getting heavier, stumbling around the groups and bodies to the back where a single meal and a snack were alone and struggling to fight. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run and give up and cry. But she had Judith, and as much as she was nearly at the point of giving up, Judith needed a future. A mangled hand grabbed her flying pony tail, making her stumble over and ankle, her body going at a 90 degree angle. The floor was coming and she screamed, rolling to take the impact on her side not the baby. Judith cried out, and the walker was leering down. Beth kicked its knee sending it sprawling. The impact on her ankle made her bite out another scream, but she shuffled over quickly to pierce its skull with the knife.

She had to get up. Now, Beth. But her right side was grazed and bleeding from hitting the tarmac, stinging, and with Judith's extra weight. No, don't agree to giving up. Just do it.

Daryl heard her scream. He got the next six walkers, and turned back to glance. She was on the floor, Judith's crying was bringing in more walkers. They had to move. The road ahead was still full of walkers but Tyresse, Sasha and Michonne were making impact, if they focused efforts there they could run ahead. The dimming light was only adding dread. He got close enough to Kenneth to yell the plan, and together they left their front, grabbing their bags. Kenneth headed to tell the others the plan and start helping make a walker passage.

Whilst Daryl picked off the approaching walkers, he was impressed to see Beth had sat herself up and was attempting to get off the floor. When he saw her go down with that walker he thought the worst. But something was wrong as he got closer. She was paler than she should be, blood was seeping from her own bite marks on her lips, holding in screams. She couldn't get herself up. Getting closer he could see her bleeding arms, and she wasn't using her right leg. Shit.

Without asking anything, he unclipped Judith from the baby carrier, looking up to catch anyone's attention. Sasha caught Daryl kneeling beside a body, he jerked her head and she ran over, dodging hands and taking down the walkers. The body was Beth, and she was struggling with trying to sit up. Daryl didn't say anything just passed her up Judith. Sasha pulled the child to her chest, Judith accepted comfort quickly. Daryl scooped Beth up, she gasped in resentful pain, biting her lips. He looked at her and she nodded, no more time wasted Sasha and Daryl ran to the herd.

He whistled sharply, and Michonne glanced back, taking it all in quickly. She grabbed up the bags, and Tyreese took his and Sasha's. Then they knew it was time to run into the thickets of undead, this was a bad idea, but the only one they had. The katana gave them the most purchase, and Daryl and Sasha kept behind Michonne's trail, running quickly. Leaving the other two to deal with the enclosing monsters.

When they broke the ranks to the other side, it was practically dark. But they kept running as long as adrenaline was going to take them. The groans of the walkers behind them was a massive incentive too. They gradually slowed to shuffling walks, knowing his lungs were on fire, Daryl suspected the others were in worse states. There was no choice but when they pulled a bit ahead of the walkers to try and get up into a tree.

Verging off the dark road into the grass ditch by the side of the road, the thin light of the flash light caught yellow. Big and yellow. The old school bus had hit off the road. Its wheels getting stuck in the ditch. It didn't even take a look for the stomachs of the group to drop simultaneously.

**_Tah-dah! xx_**


	13. Chapter 13

**_I did most of this yesterday morning, I was so impressed with myself, and then I had school. And then my sister came home from university, so we watched the Sochi Olympic Games saying 'I could do that' and ate pasta and talked about gay rights and social norms. So much detail it has to be true xxx_**

The yellow school bus was a little slice of heaven, hidden in a lot of hell. With the herd following them, and an exhaustion settling into everyone's bones, it was the best that they had had to sleep in for a long time. Tyresse and Michonne skirted around the outside twice, and then slowly let themselves in. checking under every seat and behind each row. They found one body.

Mr Sanders had had a tough life, his wife of thirty years left this a week before all this shit. The resulting stress of your entire world put stresses on the body that we can't comprehend, that and a love of rich foods from a young age meant he was a time bomb. A time bomb that went off after the prison attack. There was a bullet in his brain, so he slumped back against the seat, almost sleeping. The sickly smell of death lingered strongly, but options limited meant drag the body out and don't sleep there.

Beth was settled on the back row, so she could lay down to the fullest extent, Daryl's flash light flickered across her looking for injuries. He knew there was nothing he could do about the grazes in this light, they would wait until morning. But her leg hadn't been able to work, he hoped to god it wasn't a bite, though she would've said something by now. He ran he hands down from her thing to her calf, he blushed somehow even at his own honest attentions. She flinched when pressure what put on her ankle. Knowing light who illuminate this tin can making their hideout useless, Daryl was quick along with Sasha to splint her ankle temporarily so she could sleep without more damage being done, but once again to darkness made it too hard to make a comprehensible diagnosis.

Everyone found somewhere to lie down, only Michonne choosing to sit against the door, the others gratefully finding a set of seats and curling up to some contouring comfort. Their eyes shut and the horrors of the day and the close call were too heavy to deal with

Beth was the first to wake up, unsurprising since she hadn't ran the last stretch of energy. Normally she would have gone to make breakfast but the throbbing in her foot told her that wasn't happening. Instead she looked around, her eyes instantly fell to Daryl. She smiled to herself, then blushed as some inappropriate thought, shaking her head of the ridiculous notion. Judith was curled up on his chest, his large hand on the centre of her back, keeping her in place. He looked good with children, the same way models in the old world held puppies. Made his look softer, more accessible. She knew Daryl would hate being called vulnerable, needing in his own head to be strong and manly, but the truth was the man was both. A confusing oxymoronic mess of a man.

Flicking her eyes to the others to made sure that they were alive and well. All their chests rose, and even Michonne was still locked in a gentle slumber, probably to wake at first sound. The bus was long and symmetrical in lay out, only there was one difference. One side was just as you might have seen before the apocalypse, albeit a tad dirty. The other was caked in blood. A lump in her throat meant she didn't know to cry or vomit.

Instead she pulled herself up away from the bloodied side as if it were poison to touch, her ankle jolting and a high pitch of pain tumbling from parted lips. Daryl instantly snapped awake, sitting up to look at a Beth who was perched up and disgusted look over her shoulder. The entire left side of the bus was painted in sticky browning blood, they obviously hadn't seen it last night.

''Fuck me,'' Daryl's voice was surprisingly shocked, he held Judith tighter, doing what Beth was doing and pulling away from the stains for some inexplicable reason. In turn his voice woke the others, Michonne having woken at Beth's small scream to just stare at the bloodshed. For convenience matters everyone had slept on the clean side, after Tyresse forgot which was the 'walker bench'. The all sat and stared. In zombie land you get used to gore and death and the more unsavoury side of the horror genre, it becomes second nature. But there that occasional time it will catch you off guard, like an entire half bus being soaked in crimson evidence of your group.

They left pretty swiftly, to sit in the middle of the empty road again, preferring the slightly nippy air to the tin of death. Sasha was dishing out crackers and helping Judith to slurp down some tinned fruit juice and syrup, better sugar than nothing. Daryl was looking through all their first aid stuff, and Beth was playing nurse to herself. She was the best at describing symptoms and had the most back knowledge through all the nursing she had done in zombie land, combined with an interest in veterinary instilled by her father.

''I think it's just a sprain, we can make a crutch out of a branch-''Beth was looking down at her ankles, stretching at the hip to inspect the slight bruising. Nothing felt broken, just a little pulled. Of all the outcomes this was definitely the best.

''You ain't walkin'' Daryl cut in, uncaring of her answer. She gave him a pointed look, which he ignored with the infamous Dixon glare. Blue eyes piercing any argument of logic or reasoning.

Kenneth was watching Beth in a sort of awe, he hadn't heard her speak, no more so than singing some gentle lullabies. Even when speaking, she had a musical note to it, soft and caring and making her seem all the more delicate. But she could hold her own, and with a baby too, he had seen that yesterday. Her youth was disproportioned to the amount of heart she thrust in with everything, and her enthusiasm for care. Daryl was right, she wasn't walking. Even if it meant he had to carry her on his old aching bones.

Daryl set Beth up in a piggy back, after she had binded her foot with some wide bandages. She knew the best remedy was 'RICE', but compression was the only achievable aim in zombie land, due to the danger of resting, the impracticality of elevation and the unachievability of ice with no electricity. The others shared out their bags, Sasha carrying the lightest one with Judith on the fixed carrier. Just another day in zombie land, moving forward. Continuously trudging somewhere.

The progression was not much slower than before, inevitably they were more cautious, but Daryl still strode in front. If anything it was somewhat nice to carry Beth, she was only a tad heavier than his pack was, but harder to keep on. But she'd whisper random thoughts or songs to him at random intervals. After resuming the walk after lunch, she had remained quietly, only murmuring uncomprehendingly to herself.

''Whatcha thinking, princess?'' he looked back a tad, catching her soft cheek with his stubble. He hadn't realised she had been this close.

''Did you know peaches are a member of the rose family?'' She said it loud enough for all the group to hear, Daryl slowed a bit in the silence. Then they all laughed, smiling together. Even Judith burbled, though she didn't know what was going on. The mood had lightened, and therefore Beth liked to think she had done her job, as she settled back onto resting her chin on Daryl's shoulder. Inhaling the warmth. He smelt indefinably Darylish, and he was thinking the same thing about her indescribable Bethness.

They reached the first tree with a small incision on the bark. Five miles more to go, more than achievable even on limited legs. Deciding to stop made the group able to have some almost cheerful conversation, they'd have a roof over their heads soon. Judith would be glad to be rid of confinements, and a possibility of finding Uncle Glenn or daddy. They spoke of who might be there, what food there might be, and if there'd be enough rooms for them all this time (a conversation they all pointedly didn't look at Beth or Daryl.)

''I can take princess if you want?'' Michonne looked up at Daryl, who was quietly massaging his arms. They exchanged a silent conversation that even Beth wasn't in on, since she was busy holding onto Judy's hands so she could clamber across the rocks in a circle around her. Judith's smile was like oxygen at time, she wasn't entirely sure how she was managing this without paracetamol or some small pain reef of any kind. On the other hand she was aching and exhausted all over anyway, and pain meant more than it did in the last world. If you want to survive zombie land your pain threshold has to triple.

Beth wasn't paying any attention, when Michonne scooped her up bridal style. In fact a small squeally gasp came out her lips that made the others laugh at her inattentive nature, it was a curse but a funny one. They settled in on the walk, and Beth had to admit it was nice to have her legs closed and not around Daryl, she blushed she didn't mean it like that. Five miles could have been five minutes and when the group saw the first glimpse of the house in the distance, too small to see anything but that it was white, they all laughed.

''Come on, gotta get my lady over the threshold, or it ain't official.'' Michonne set off on a renewed pace, ignoring Beth's muttering that she didn't remember getting a ring, and she wanted it to be diamond- a big diamond.

The closer they got to the house, the more they knew something was wrong. Daryl picked up on it first, his sixth sense telling him, as they got close the others felt the eerie silence over take them too. The door was wide open, blood splatter on the windows. Someone or something had been here, Daryl crouched to the ground, inspecting muddied footprints.

''human, left after the storm a week ago, ground was still wet.'' His voice was still and emotionless. Beth hoped they weren't Maggie's because she couldn't stand her last family member being described as 'human', if those were her last steps.

There didn't seem to be any walkers around, which in itself was surprising, but cautiously they went through the house. After checking the downstairs Michonne dropped Beth off on the kitchen counter with her knife and Judith. Beth observed the area, the kitchen had been ransacked as if on last minute running through. a cupboard holing tins was open, but the small stockpile suggested only a few had been taken. Whoever was here, left in next to no time.

She had learnt some things from Daryl that much was true. Not to mention she knew the habits of most their group and their quirks. There was a pile of laundry by the door, reluctantly neglected in a woven basket, unsurprising since usually that job feel to her or Carol. Two chairs were pulled back from the table in the dining room adjoined to the kitchen, for some reason all the group felt they were wasting time pushing them back under, but none more so than the younger members of the group. A packet of cherry twisters were open on the counter as a sneaky treat, she leant over and grabbed the packet, and that's when she knew Maggie was here.

Beth handed Judith a piece from the packet, working around the unravelled one in small strings. That's how she knew, Maggie had always done that, separated them all out before twisting them into various plaits and twists to make patterns. Hershel always chided her for missing the movie for playing around and influencing her baby sister, but it was a talent really. As a child Beth got liquorice twister flowers and snakes to nibble on. Only Maggie hadn't got to make anything this time.

When it got toward bedtime, Beth had told Daryl her suspicions, to which he looked surprised and proud of her observations. He was also realistic, there was a chance this might not have been Maggie and he had to tell her that. Needless to say this sparked debate in the group over a soup dinner, Kenneth simply played with Judith neither of them having input. Beth was adamant but the rest of the group took 'highly likely' as their nearest confirmation.

The next worry was why the people, be them Maggie or Glenn, left in such a rush and didn't come back. There were no walkers inside and the supplies left untouched. It seemed simply that something made them leave, on foot with no planning less than a week ago.

''There are three rooms with double beds- everybody partner up. One beds been slept in, but it shouldn't be too bad- don't give me that look Beth- it don't mean it was Maggie.'' And it was true Daryl and Beth were proof enough that weird bedfellows are a consequence of the apocalypse.

''I ain't havin' that bed if Glenn and Maggie've been in it.'' Michonne crossed her arms in defiance, they were all tired and ready to settle. So Daryl gave her a 'really Michonne?' look. The others simply nodded vigorously back at him, joining Michonne's protest, even Kenneth who caught on there must be a reason.

''Fine princess, ass kicker and I will take that room.'' They all murmured in agreement and Daryl rolled his eyes at them, complaining at being stupid and overly luxurious. This wasn't the four seasons y'know. Beth leant in as the others began moving out and starting their own bed rules.

''We're changing the sheets right?'' she whispered in his ear, her blonde hair tickling his arm.

''Oh, definitely.'' He muttered back, giving her a look.

**_Hope you enjoyed you lovely person, you xxx_**


	14. Chapter 14

**_We're over 30,000 words on this story! Like wow! Who knew I wrote so much? Hope you guys enjoy this very fluffy and very non-actiony chapter (not sarcasm, like nothing happens) xxxx_**

Daryl lifted a Beth and Judith combination off the counter, they were the last ones downstairs. Judith seemed perplexed at the arrangement. Lying back against Beth's tummy but looking at Daryl with big eyes. Beth had one arm round his neck, the other on Judith, as he carried them as Michonne had done up the stairs. Beth let herself glance around, taking in the hall was to the new place trying to get a feel for it all. All the door were painted shiny white, and picture frames of the deceased or undead lined the walls to give it a homely feel. Sasha was pushed out the bathroom, almost running into Daryl who leant against the wall. She had her hair down in tight curls and a foamy toothbrush in her mouth. Tyresse apologised before shutting the door in his sister's face.

Daryl smirked as he edged an ajar door open, settling Beth on one side to perch whilst he found new bedding. Judith clambered on the soft material, trying to stand herself up but failing as the mattress dipped under her weight. She fell face first into pillows and soft blankets, giggling sweetly so Beth didn't want to stop her. As Judy made her way to the edge of the other bed, Beth realised she would have to grab her. She spun onto her stomach, reaching her arms out to pull lil' ass kickers legs from under her and drag her back to this side where she couldn't fall.

Daryl walked in to Beth's firm and youthful bum sticking up, her legs hovering in air as she stopped ass kicker getting away. He cursed his brain for the amazingly realistic image it gave him on the fantastical side of innocent Beth Greene. Beth started smiling, he could hear the forceful expel of air from her nose as Judith simple rolled over and sat up to try standing. Creeping round he simply dumped the covers on the bed and flopped down carefully next to Judith. The mattress jumped so Judith rolled toward Daryl, still laughing at all the fun she was having. A week or so in a papoose and you'd have extra energy too.

They played and remade the bed, making it fun for her by dropping her onto soft pillows and on sheets, letting her clamber around. Daryl had taken to gently biting her toes, threatening Judith with tickles, as she squealed delightedly reaching to Beth, who was too busy laughing. They were blissfully unaware of the door opening and the other walking in arms crossed. From the end of their bed they saw Judy and her parents, all messed up hair and red cheeks covered by wide aching smiles.

''Seriously, Daryl?'' Michonne smirked as he froze, looking up at her un-expectantly. Judith whined at him holding her slightly too long upside down, wanting to be dropped and caught again. Beth reached up to grab the baby, Judith using her small hands to tap Beth's cheeks and move her lips.

''We were being loud.'' Beth's voice was still unnatural from so long going without, but the implication came out as a half-question being answered by herself.

''Uh, yeah- but more so that little lady,'' Kenneth laughed looking down at Judith, who had wriggled her way down to the bed, holding Beth's hands to hold herself up and bounce on the soft covers with small bent knees. No one would begrudge them having a bit of fun, and it was more curiosity that made the step in the room than noise. It was like Daryl didn't even see what this girl was doing to him, or the baby.

Once they apologised they started working to get a worked up Judith to sleep, Daryl threw Judith's things at Beth, who wrestled the struggle girl out of her clothes. Once the last flying limb was back in the new pyjama sleep-suit, bath pulled bath against her. Daryl watched as Beth rocked a struggling Judith, who was protesting interest in sleep, and began to sing. As if by magic, Judith stopped to listen, nuzzling closer to Beth's soft warmth. Her eyes slowly drooped and Beth looked up triumphantly, only then did Daryl realise he had been staring. She looked confused at the intense look he was giving her, his blue eyes unknowingly fascinated by her maternal instincts.

He took the now sleeping child, and gently positioned her on her pillow lined draw, which would have to do as a crib for now. And stood up, feeling like his old bones were creaking. She was laying propped up on top of the covers, foot elevated as his insistence under a pillow. He realised that they were both still fully clothed, Beth leant over checking her ankle. It was swollen and help a large purple bruise where she landed on it. Seemingly not minding the trivial injury Beth looked up.

''This isn't going to hold my weight, could- could you help me with my jeans?'' She asked him gently, trying to look like it wasn't a big deal, but her red cheeks gave her away. Daryl was blushing furiously, but he nodded nevertheless. He slowly came forward, trying to act cool but his hands were shaking.

First he removed her other sock, throwing them into a corner for washing. Not knowing where else to begin he hesitated around her hips, understanding she popped the button and lifted her hips. Beth favoured the skinny type of jeans, something Daryl both loved and hated in this moment. He gingerly slipped his fingers into the sides and pulled them down as far as her knees. He pointedly didn't look at her blue knickers with little faded white satin ribbons at the sides. He moved to where her ankles were, carefully pulling the hem over her ankle until the fabric was loose enough. He repeated the actions less tenderly on the next foot, before ripping them off all together, taking them with him to the other side of the room.

Beth was biting her lip, her stomach feeling like she had just eaten a soup of worms. But the freedom was good and his methodical gentlemanly behaviour made him endearing. Daryl made use of his time finding something in the draws for them to wear, paying little attention. The women's clothes were see through white cotton negligees, which Daryl immediately put back in the draw. No, just no. So he threw a man's pyjama shirt at her instead. Picking out his own little matching set.

Beth hope he couldn't feel her staring as she held the shirt. Daryl kicked his trousers off, bending over to put his feet in the new. She wouldn't admit it but it was nice having a good arse to value. Blushing to herself she pulled her top off, buttoning the shirt before taking her bra off underneath. Coughing to let him know she was done.

Why Daryl thought she'd be less attractive in a man shirt he didn't know. If anything it extenuated her soft hips and small breasts, hitting her just where it needed to be to make her legs go on for miles. All soft, white and creamy.

He slid into bed, helping her move her foot pillow and get the covers from underneath her. The soft noises of breathing baby was that could be heard, and then the crinkle of the sheets. Daryl had rolled over, looking into Beth's face. She tilted her head to look back, the soft glow of the lamp turned down, no one slept in the dark anymore. He asked her if she could sleep, she shook her head, still too awake to think about sleeping. And this was how a round of the question exchange game began.

''Do you think it was Maggie?'' She started the game.

''Anyone could have done those shapes, Beth, I mean she told Carl about it right? But, I have a feelin' its one of ours, most likely yer sister.'' He paused, not wanted to give her hope he couldn't fulfil or destroy it either. Thinking about what to ask her, ''are you alright?''. The question could have meant anything, but it was directed specifically on the one topic they hardly mentioned.

''He meant so much to me, but I have my family and at least I know he's not suffering out there.'' Her voice went quiet as she swallowed any signs of breaking down, ''what do you miss?''

He paused, thinking about that one seriously. There was little in the past world that treated him right. His family was complicated, he grieved Merle, but in the old world he probably would be on death row for killing some guy over peanuts by this point. He missed his house and his truck, the two things he owned, but they were both shitty and cheap. Daryl couldn't say what he missed because he had more in this land that was valuable to loose than the last.

''Saturday cartoons in bed'' he looked at her as her face broke into that dazzling smile.

''Haha, with your fruit loops?'' her voice was light and smirking, grinning at him and he was sure he was the Cheshire cat right back at her.

''I believe it's my question now, Princess. Something you never got to do?''

''Live.'' It was honest, painfully so. He was aware then of just how young she was. With her golden hair and sun-freckled cheeks. ''what are we?'' her voice was soft, no judgment at all, only curiosity.

The answer was he didn't know, he felt wrong for wanting her around and quite frankly for wanting her. She was young and beautiful and there was something about her that made her own special kind of strength. The entire antithesis of his existence and being. He loved how she looked after that little girl, and they'd share jokes and tease and kiss. But they weren't together. And at the same time they weren't not together. Everyone accepted them, and he was fallen hook, line and sinker. But something was holding them back.

He didn't answer, but she didn't expect him to. Instead she sighed slowly and leant back, pulling the cover around her against the sudden chill. His had reached out to touch her face, and then he was kissing her, or she was kissing him. Because whatever this was they were together in it. He moaned at the soft touch of her thighs as his hands wrapped round them to pull her on top of him, she simply kissed everything with healing pecks she could see. A flooding of warmth hit her stomach again as she felt his rough hands draw small circles on the skin where her arse and her legs joined. He kissed his fervently at her tiny whimpers of pleasure, the ability to teach her was one he couldn't resist as he leant in to meet her.

It continued a while, getting more desperate and needy. His hands now firmly cupping her bum, relishing in the silky flesh. As Judith began to cry, bringing her over Daryl got back into bed. Judith held out for Beth, getting the attention she needed to forget her nightmares. The little ass kicker fell asleep between them, her little eyelashes fluttering with sleep and two small arms above her head. Beth snuggled in close, her legs entangled with Daryl's, who was careful not to knock her ankle, though she hardly minded the small amount of pain for being in this position.

They slowly all moved into a quiet slumber, no need for nightmares or restlessness because they were all complete having each other. Dixon, Grimes and Greene, basically the cutest team you've ever seen. And although walkers would eat them if they saw them like this, they'd at least recognise how cute it was- well, maybe not- but let's say they would.

**_Hope you enjoyed, support is appreciated xxx_**


	15. Chapter 15

**_One hell of a day, let me tell you. We're getting to an exciting section, looky looky (or rather please read to the end and you'll understand my enthusiasm) can't wait for the chance to write the next chapter xxx thank you to my beautiful reviewers._**

Daryl had stepped out of bed, to get fussing Judith up, mostly so she'd stop pulling on his care. Freaking kid didn't do that to Beth though did she, no, only maimed his precious scalp. Rubbing his hair, he rocked Judith to prove to her that he was awake and she could get up now, Beth shifted in her sleep, snuggling into the empty warm spot that was left. Frowning at the realisation he wasn't there and looking up. She saw him holding Judy and smiled. He was a proper little daddy without realising it.

''Downstairs, princess?'' His voice was thick from sleep, and he tried to not watch her stretch as she yawned. She was nodding continuously in a tired stupor, trying to get the energy to respond.

''Yeah, hand me some clothes from the draw will you? And some towels, gonna bath Judes later.'' She lethargically sat up, propping a pillow behind her, then she prodded her ankle. The swelling had gone down and she would try applying weight a bit later. Daryl passed her clothing and started laughing at her trying to dress covertly under the sheet, he got a playful glare which made him rest Judith onto the bed and picked out his own clothes. Beth wrapped an arm around the girl pulling her close enough to sit on her knee and bounce. Though she wanted to watch Daryl dress, she knew that their flirtations were restricted to the right time. And before he left to look for her sister was not the right time.

As if sensing her thoughts, he came back dressed and kissed her gently on the top of her head, before scooping her up. They made it down stairs, where only Michonne was. Did that woman even sleep? Beth insisted on stumbling around a bit to get a feel of her new domain, looking in various cupboards. The cupboard's had enough for a few days, but a run would be totally necessary. There's no rest for the wicked. Beth opened tinned fruit, scooping it out into bowls for them all. Michonne helped her bring four bowls over and set them on the table, the others could grab their own.

Daryl scooped up his first bite, as Beth mushed up Judith's fruit, the bit of pear being mushed with the back of a spoon. Looking down Daryl noted the lack of pear in his own salad, he was never a fan. Suspiciously he looked up and Beth smiled with a small shrug, biting into her own cubed fruit. Judith gurgled happily, her small face lit up with something sweet and not soup.

The others soon joined all dressed and prepared, although a day to rest would be nice, Daryl was keen to start tracking. Michonne decided to check security and Tyresse, Sasha and Kenneth were going to scout for food or a car. In the back of his mind, Daryl knew anything he shot today whilst on the way could potentially buy them a day or two.

Daryl followed the muddy tracks, there were two sets of prints, mixed in with each other. The second pair were uneven and sauntered, either an injured person or a following walker. Neither sounded ideal. A stray walker could kill you, but alone it would be easy to pick off. And an injury would hold you back in case there was a herd or other danger ahead. There had yet to be any signs of animals close enough to shoot, but he had the crossbow ahead of him just in case. Only once did he past Michonne, they nodded and he went further outwards.

It must have been about 6 miles out that Daryl hit a dead end. The foot prints just stopped, but there were no trees and no more prints. Something wasn't right. Looking behind him Daryl saw slight movement, he crouched, leaning toward the protection of a tree. He'd be harder to shoot here, or be seen by the eyes of a walker. But the shifting was becoming a distinct shape, it was a non-undead person, and they were getting closer.

Michonne moved around the area, picking of walkers with no problem. For hours on end she wandered in wider and wider circles, like an inverted predator protecting its prey. Or its family. Her legs were shaking from the day of nonstop walking, but she was the one who enforced it, so there was little to complain about. Complaining was a waste of energy anyway. When she reached a wide expanse of empty road, she paused, settling to have a drink and stretch her katana swiping hand. She had to rest at some point at least. There was no company except for that of a walker, leaking blackish blood to the tarmac.

Eyes snapped open, leaking? The walker was fresh and with renewed energy, Michonne looked both ways. It was getting late, but the walker was only an hour or less put down. The blood congealed before too long. Deciding to run down the west-headed route, Michonne began to run. She soon caught up to the silent sounds of another person. She knew there was someone hiding nearby. Watching her, waiting to put her down or to what? A twig snapped behind her and a gun was pointed in her face.

The three of them reached a blockage in the road, none of them had seen the highway where carol's daughter was lost, but the same idea of looting cars came to mind. It would be possible to maybe hot wire one of these vans, so Tyresse was set up to do that, as the others started rummaging. Always double check the back seat, you live in a horror film.

A small ways down a sign for a small garage came to view, only two miles north. Kenneth agreed to head that way and come back as soon as he could with whatever there was. This left Sasha collecting glove compartment small-drugs and emergency suitcases to be rummaged through, along with scouting for the dead and picking them off.

The job was tiring and she was soon sweating, hoping to find more that a packet of biscuits from each car. Though her stomach was glad to be filled with something. There were around twenty cars, all packed tightly together, and each was deserted. Idly he hoped the people had survived, but it was impossible to say, and some of the ones with kids were undoubtedly facing hardship. Sasha picked up a Barney toy from under a seat and threw the dinosaur into the back of the SUV her brother was trying to fix.

Tyresse inspected the cars one by one, leaving his sister to do her own thing. This should work, if they could siphon gas like they did before there should be enough for a few runs at least, and the spark plugs could be stolen from another alike car. He sighed, the sun wasn't starting to set and Kenneth wasn't back yet, it couldn't be that long. But Tyresse was painfully aware that they had yet to loose anyone from their family, and the clock was ticking. As soon as you were secure, that's when the dead people got you. Shit, they should never have let him go alone.

Nothing could be done except to get the SUV up and working, so he got on and did it. As Herschel always said 'we all got jobs to do', wasn't that what Beth always told him? Speaking of which, Beth and Daryl, huh? Where had that come from? He felt himself smirk a little at the insanity of it all, and Sasha looked up with a sixth sense.

''What's so funny?''

''Daryl and Beth.'' Tyresse gave her a grin, and Sasha let out a low chuckle, covering her eyes from the sun to look at her brother, ''he's a lucky man.'' Tyresse shrugged and winked at his sister, who snorted.

''She's a lucky woman…those arms.'' Sasha muttered the last bit to herself, but Tyresse caught it. Together they chortled and got back to work.

Kenneth was picking up the last can of beans from the shelf, when suddenly he was pushed over by a limping Asian man. The floor hit him, and by the time he could get gun or knife the feet of a steadying woman and the man were too far. He was too old for this. At least they were less brutal than other survivors, some others would shoot you. He shivered, not wanting to think about it.

Obviously the two of them had got here before them, heard him come in and panic that he was going to harm them. Poor things, probably had nowhere to go. If they had stopped they might be able to help them find Beth's sister and husband.

In his head Beth's sister, Mags or something, would have blonde hair and the same soft eyes. Though he had heard that she was a fighter, like Michonne, she'd get down with the dogs. So yeah, Mags was Beth with muscles and cold eyes. He picked himself of the floor with a groan and brushed off the dust, better to head back to the others. Vaguely he moaned about the fact the walk back was slightly uphill, that would make the calves burn. He should have gone to the gym more in the old life. Which was ridiculous, he should have worked less and spent more time with his wife and kids, before it was too late.

Little ass kicker was not taking kindly to the idea of a bath. They had got clean, but labelled 'non drinking water', near the back door, and Beth had managed to wash some clothes and hang them up. Tasks were taking longer with her foot, and Judith was allowed to roam freely on the soft grass, to play with the green grass and small daisies. She learnt quickly that they didn't taste too nice. Having tired herself out she fell asleep on the warm grass next to mummy Beth. When she woke up Beth had wet hair, that looked brighter than sunshine. The fascination spread from looking to wanting to hold to soft lightening waves. Beth took this opportunity to pull Judith inside where the sink had been already filled with bubbly water.

The water was cold and she didn't like it. Beth tried splashing her but quite honestly nothing could make this torture better. Her little lungs were burning from the screaming, and although she knew Beth was shushing her so she wouldn't attract the bad smelly people, she wanted out. Not even little songs were going to calm her, and the pink face of sweet Beth was showing her that she was getting to the end of her tether. Good, cause so am I.

''For God's sake Judy please my head is killin' me,'' Beth's voice fell on the non-understanding ears of a baby in a strop. Judith would have said something if she could, but she couldn't so she let hot tears fall down her snivelling cheeks.

The icy water was being poured over her head to remove the shampoo bubbles, and that was the last straw. Judith hit her hands down forcefully, over and over again. The water splashed out freezing against Beth's white t-shirt, soaking it within seconds. The look of near crying on Beth's face, made Judith stop giggling and feel a bit guilty. But she wanted comfort too, so she only sniffled.

Beth felt frustrated tears roll down her cheeks, presuming Judy was clean enough she pulled her out the sink. Judith immediately held fast to Beth's top, small arms round her neck, crying pathetically into her shoulder. Beth could do nothing but pat the child, murmuring apologies and rhymes to her. A towel had to be wrapped around Judith's back, because she was still steadfast in her non-moving idea. So instead Beth let her t-shirt get sodden.

Just as Judith settled to an occasional whimper and rubbing her head into the crook of Beth's neck, the door burst open. Instinctively Beth pulled a gun out the back of her jeans, spinning slightly to shelter Judith and point it at the intruder. Her hand was shaking and she had no idea if it were possible for her to shoot anyone alive, since they must be as the door was on the latch.

Daryl shuffled further in and then dropped heavily to the floor.

''Fuck it.'' Going from panic to necessary calm, Beth settled Judith on her hip and leant down to check his pulse. It was there, and Beth could breathe again. The door would have to be closed next, so resting towel-swaddled ass kicker on the floor, Beth dragged Daryl's unconscious body into the room, until the door could be swung to a close.

His breathing was heavy, like he had run for miles, over pushing himself. She tried to not think about reasons why Daryl would run here in a panic, if he's that worried there had to be a reason. Maggie is alive, he didn't find Maggie, Maggie is a survivor. Breathing out she brushed hair out of his eyes, checking for bites. There were bramble scratches along his arms and face where he hadn't dodged reaching arms of trees in his rush and deep cut on his forehead.

Knowing it was going to sting like mad, Beth got up, sliding an inquisitively into the now empty laundry basket. Reaching for a bottle of water, antiseptic and cloth she straddled Daryl. Holding his arms down would stop him hitting her when she did this, he was coming to, but an awake Daryl would be an even worse patient. She pushed the damped cloth against his head, felling him struggle beneath her made her want to cry.

Daryl's eyes sprang open, his arms were held down and his head was on fire. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he had to tell her something. His mind was yelling at him, but he could understand. Beth had to know, so tell her. Some ones coming. Get Judith and run. Leave him. But his lips felt so heavy and his throat hurt. Only managing to get one word out.

''Run.''

Beth heart jumped. But there was no time to make any sort of attempt of understanding. The door opened behind them, and the hard tip of a gun rested against the back of her head, the clicking of a threat resounding in her ears. Daryl's eyes rolled back, and she was left alone.

**_Review if want! xxx_**


	16. Chapter 16

**_So, I was ready for some actioniness. This is part one of mystery guy! xxx_**

Beth had never been more aware of how vulnerable she was then at that very moment. She was sat on Daryl, gun to her head and a baby she was praying wouldn't make a move. If it came to it who did she save, Judith or Daryl? No, we'll all make it. Breathe, just breathe. _Wake up, please, wake up._ Blood rushing through her ears made her feel like she was going to vomit or pass out, either would make her look weak to the intruder, but she was barely 5'5'' and visibly shaking.

''Is this how the men get welcomed 'round here? Could get used to that.'' The man's gun was removed slightly from the pressure it was forcing on her head. The voice was gruff and strong, this wasn't his first rodeo. His arm wrapped around Beth's small bicep pulling her up, her feet stumbled over Daryl's body. Looking at the man, Beth's stomach dropped. There was no way she was going to fight him off.

He was all muscle, hard and unforgiving. In another world he was a Merle, uncaring and cold, his weakness would be impossible to detect and it wouldn't involve them. They could die and that would be fine. His eyes had the same piercing quality as Daryl's, but where Daryl's made her fuzzy and warm, his made her feel as if layers of dirt were forming where he looked. His gun was back in its holster, next to one of many knives. But he didn't need it, one slap could probably break her neck. There was no wondering in why this guy had survived so long.

Beth was small and dwarfed in old men's clothes, her best bet was acting defenceless, which by and large was hardly even acting. The wind from the open door hit her wet t-shirt, and sudden realised the reason he was looking at her like that. Her arms shot of to cover her chest, the wet fabric was stuck to her red bra and flat stomach. The smirk he gave her gave no indication that he hadn't seen. Shit, shit, shit. Possibly the worst condition to be found it, straddling a man in a see through shirt.

The man turned and slammed the door closed. The cat joined the bird in the cage. She jumped but kept a cool enough head to clock the position of the sun, it was mid-afternoon, and the others would be headed back already. Her best bet was Michonne, she would pick up the danger and come running in katana high. But for now she was trapped in a house with an aggressive man, a knocked out Dixon and a laundry basket baby. _Wake up, please, wake up._ Judith had to be the priority right now, Daryl was obviously not in immediate danger. Beth made to edge to the left, but stumbled over Daryl's shoe, falling over the sprained ankle. The small yell escaped her, before the man held her up, and arm around her waist. The plan was to be pathetic right?

She didn't want to be this close to him, tears sprang to her eyes she felt so hopeless and useless. Now she felt disgusted, that this man felt he could just hold her against him. He chuckled darkly, and she felt his harsh stubble against her neck.

''Please-'' Beth was going to try and beg her way out of this, maybe he was just intimidating to look at. Perhaps he would understand and let her go. But he cut her off, squeezing her tighter against his body, her weight being taken off the floor.

''What darling?'' She could hear him smirk, and so she shut her eyes heavily as if this could all be a simple dream. ''You gettin' into this? All I was after was some food, but I won't say no to a pretty lil' lady like you.'' Beth felt sick, her mind started struggling before she realised she was trying to wriggle for freedom. His grip was strong and he only needed one arm to hold her back, if anything he was enjoying the chase. This world fucked people up.

He threw her to the floor, her shriek never formed as she attempted to dodge Daryl's body. _Wake up, please, wake up._ Her ankle made the first contact with the floor, and she wondered if his senses were acute enough to pick up and orchestrate that, or if it was the world's cruel irony.

''Ain't seen one pretty and soft as you in a while, lover here musta kept close care of ya''' he knelt down beside her, pulling her off her side on to her back. Angry and fearful tears slipped down her cheeks. ''Don't cry, darling, you'll enjoy it-but first you're gonna do everything I say.'' The tip of a knife scratched across her cheek, catching the small tears. When it bit into her skin he pulled it down, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.

Sasha was busy swearing at her brother for the 'half arsed dumbass attempt at being a mechanic.' She and Kenneth were killing off walkers that were coming to the rattling sound that the engine of the SUV was making, every few minutes the engine would slow and bang loudly, and eventually had just packed up. The amount of supplies they had gathered made them reluctant to ditch the car entirely, and if they could make it another two miles it was 10 minute walk to the house, if they hid it well enough it could serve as storage overnight. But if it was left on the road, anyone could get in.

Tyresse was trying to fiddle around with the engine but the fading light wasn't helping him see what wasn't working, any more than the basic ignorance of engines that he had. On the basic assumption that he could fix it, since he was pretty sure if he got that wiry thing to attach to that chute big metal bit in the middle, it would work.

''Now get up, and I want a nice meal, and a backpack, full of anythin' you got. See if you're worth savin'. And maybe if we got time I'll see to yer eagerness.'' He rubbed the trickle of blood across her cheek in twisted affection. Standing up and getting to the table, where he sat himself down with feet crossed on the table.

Beth reluctantly pulled herself up, wincing at her ankle. She used the cupboards to support her as she hurriedly got together the camping stove and a saucepan for some soup. He watched her idly, his heavy gaze watching her every move should she try to run or arm herself.

''So, sweets, where you from? Aw, don't pout- come over here and I'll kiss that pout away-no? Ha, I'm just messin'- no harm, where yer from?'' he laughed to himself, staring across the room at her uncomfortable face, arms once again covering the drying shirt. Her hair was down, slightly damp but wispy blonde waves were beginning to hit her face. But she made no move to answer him. ''I said where are you from?'' his voice went low and serious, his eyebrows moving down to remove the jovial terror from before.

''East of Aerendale- lived on my daddy's farm.'' She had no choice but to answer, but there was no way he was learning about the prison or the others. Beth's voice was soft, a slight southern tang but comforting even in fear. She sniffed slightly, wiping her nose. Finding out a bowl and spoon.

''Farmers daughter, huh? What a cliché- where's 'e now then, yer daddy? Oh sore subject- sorry- darlin', no don't cry- wait that ain't-'' the man stood up from the table. He marched over to noise. Beth covered her mouth so that the cries could be from her, but it was too late. Judith had been found. _Wake up, please, wake up._

Michonne snapped round to the sound of a breaking branch, then broke out into a smile. Maggie took a second to lower her knife, but then started laughing manically. Hugging Michonne, and shouting out over her shoulder excitedly. Glenn stumbled out the undergrowth, pale and sweaty.

**_You wouldn't believe the last few days we've had. 'Bout a week ago we were at the rendezvous point, waitin' on Glenn to get better, so we could go out lookin' for the others. Hell of journey getting' up here, been the two of us since the prison. We were gonna start lookin' fer ...Beth, I just I need to find- you're with her! Oh my gosh, thank you! Thank you! Glenn, wake up Michonne was with Beth- is she alright? Safe? Why did you leave her? -Anyway, so I was in the kitchen getting' the lil jobs done, and then this guy came in from nowhere. Like he got all in my face and pinned me down, then he started cuttin' me with a knife… look here are the marks…so Glenn comes down from the noise I make, hits 'em. Next thing we know we're runnin', but the guy throws the knife and it gets Glenn in the leg. But he keeps follwin'. He's been on our backs for days, not even killin' us, just spookin' us. And so we hide out in a supermarket, waitin' on him to hunt us down, but then earlier this guy is there- but not the same guy. But, hell, how do we know if he knows him or not- so we run. And I am so glad to see you. _**

Michonne could see that Glenn wasn't going to make it back tonight, so she agreed to help scout out walkers so they both could rest. The last of the crackers and jerky were readily taken by Maggie with little guilt.

Beth tried stumbling to the basket as quick as she could, but the man pulled her back, peering into the basket. He grabbed Judith, who simply yelled louder, this was not a good day. Judy kicked and screamed at the unfamiliar face. From the corner of her eye, Beth saw Daryl flinch at the noise. But ass kicker was going to get in trouble.

''You're scaring her-'' Beth managed to gently wrestle the baby out of the man's reach, he wasn't committed to dealing with children apparently. Judith's purple face and screams seemed to have fazed him. Judy's arms found Beth and she was comforted by the familiarity. The man turned to look at her, seemingly confused for a second by a towelled baby.

''You got a kid?'' Beth simply nodded, holding Judith tighter against her, lightly brushing her small curls out her face. The cries turned to little tired sobs, happier now she wasn't being neglected.

''Please, don't hurt us-I'll do anything- I just I need them.'' She glanced down at Daryl, before pulling Judith further up her hip. She looked into his eyes, and he felt it. There was something about Beth, the way she fought wasn't fair but it caught you between the ribs making you want to agree. She looked so young, but so responsible.

''Ok, sweet thing. I got an idea.''


	17. Chapter 17

**_So sorry for the small while for an update, I just couldn't get this chapter into words form my head. Which is a strange thing considering how much I talk, and then I bruised my lead typing finger L so now it hurts…I need hugs…._**

Daryl held Beth close, she sobbed, finally letting the anguish leave her. His legs were stiff and tired, he could do little but hold her tight to his chest. But that would be enough, for now. Adrenaline pulsed through his head, as he cradled her close. Her arms were wrapped around him, refusing to let go. And they'd stay like that until the others came back. It had been quite the day.

Beth found herself wrists tried together, as well as her ankles, with frayed old rope. The man had done it, drank the soup and told Beth he was going 'window shopping', before leaving her on the floor beside Daryl. Daryl had been quickly bound by the ankles, but gently as to not alert him. He was muttering occasionally but showed no signs of consciousness. Just how far did he run? When the gag went over her mouth, and Judith placed on her knee she knew it was getting serious. This man could take everything that they had. And should Sasha, Tyresse and Kenneth not found anything it wouldn't take long before they starved. She was also beginning to worry about Daryl, he had been out for a long time now.

As soon as the man had left, Beth was tugging at the rope, finishing the act of helplessness. It was no use, as old as it was, the rope could hold against her meagre attempts. Maybe Daryl could do it, he seemed the type to get rid of restraints. Hell, he seemed the type to fight with it and still win. Then the idea caught her. She shuffled closer to Daryl's body, trying to angle herself to his boot. Judith shrieked a little at being angled awkwardly, so Beth panicked and started to sooth her with gentle words. Just a bit more-

Aha! Daryl Dixon had not let her down. She heard the man on the floorboards above her, looting the rooms for whatever it was worth. She felt sick thinking about it, in a way it's what they did, but no when other living people survived on those supplies. Call it zombie land etiquette. The small knife Daryl had tucked into his shoe had not been discovered, obviously the man didn't know another alpha survivor when he saw one. If she could get her wrist the other way then her hands would be free, but they just wouldn't. Ok, breathe. Rethink and replan, don't let the big bad wolf scare you. What else can we do? She looked across at Daryl, if she could get his wrists he'd be free at least. Then all he had to do was wake up.

So she shuffled back to where she was before, and looked over her shoulder as she slowly cut the rope. She stopped just before it broke, unless you were looking it was impossible to tell the difference, but Daryl would have no problems breaking the last bit. But this plan still relied on him. Shit.

''Daryl? Daryl, please wake up. Please you have to. Save me.'' Her voice was a panicked whisper. She was so scared the man would hear. Although he had given her no instructions to be quiet, the bondage and looting sort of implied it. Tears were gathering in her eyes. If she hadn't been so weak, he wouldn't be so exhausted and unable to help her now. Hell, if she wasn't so weak she'd be able to help herself right now. Always relying on someone else, and she was sick of it. There wasn't a choice in survival, not in zombie land. And the white scar on her wrist reminded her occasionally you have to choose to fight. No one can fight for you wanting to live. And how different could this be?

The man came back, and smirked at the few tears she had let herself cry. The knife was still clutched in her small hands, trying to rest it on the rope not her skin. How did they do this in movies? Two backpacks were on the counter, being filled with their food. The canned fruit was particularly painful, that's Judith's. Her mind floated back to picking out pea from Daryl's bowl that morning, it seemed so long ago. She should have given him something with more carbohydrate. Fructose will only take you so far.

She prayed that he would stop looking as to not find the second cupboard of food. But the end of him searching could mean the end for them. There's no justifiable reason any sane person would want innocent people to watch everything they'd accumulated for the last three years ripped away in a place the undead eat you. None at all. But can you justify a world in which humans eat other humans and rise from the dead to walk until they're only bones?

When he picked Judith off her knee and put her back in the laundry basket where she couldn't escape two things happened. Judith began to scream, crying and yelling with everything she had. Her small hands hit the man's chest and Beth had never been prouder, or more scared for her baby. But babies tend to be that line even rapists and murderers don't cross. And he didn't, just settled her roughly down to the small prison. She didn't stop, and Beth though maybe the noise would help stir Daryl.

The second thing that happened is that Beth knew she was taking the brunt of today. She was next. His leering eyes told her that much, so she held her knife tighter, it was her safety line. He came back over a crouched down, softly stroking her cheek, pushing blonde waves behind her ears.

''The prettiest I've had the pleasure to see in a long time, the other girl here was hot, but you're a different kind o' pretty, ain't ya hon?'' his breathe smelt heavily of the soup he had forced her to make, and she simply flinched away from his intentions. Her mind reeled to there being others like her, and she wanted to sob for them, all alone and ruined forever. She didn't want his compliments or attentions, but he seemed to notice her folding herself away, trying to go cationic. His hand moved to her legs, carefully groping as he made his way to her ankles. Then he pulled, forcing her away from the cupboards to lie on the floor. Her weak ankle screamed at her, and so she did at him. He only smiled.

Beth felt her entire body get pushed down. She heard Judith complain form the retraining confinements of the box. Hatred flashed through her as strong as her fear. The kitchen floor was cold and her entire body went numb as he sat across her legs. Don't vomit and you'll be fine.

''So lovely, so untouched.'' He pushed a rough hand against the silky feel of her stomach, lifting the top us as he went. She blushed and tried to wiggle away, wanting to scream out but knowing that walkers would probably be the only ones to save her. Endure this torment or get eaten alive by dead humans? The small knife was slowing sawing the rope, but she had to wriggle slightly to avoid suspicion. He didn't seem to notice her lack of concentration as he made smooth shapes with his finger tips on her flat stomach.

As he got his knife out, Beth lifted her back, finally pulling her hands apart. Then she gasped. His cold blade sliced into her stomach, making a long line in her left side. Tears gathered around her eyes and he simply dug harder. Waiting to get a scream out of her. Again and again until she broke. Her voice came out scratchy and high, he smiled and dug harder. She had to get her hand near enough to him.

But the pain was distracting. **_We all have jobs to do, Bethy._** And protecting her family was her job, and she would make her father proud. And Michonne. And Maggie. And Daryl. The small knife grazed her back, but it was nothing to what he was doing, and she got her arms free. Gently she move it to open skin, the head would be best, but also the hardest. Not that he was paying attention, not to her at least. But to the light flow of blood across her abdomen form cuts deep enough to bleed but not enough to be fatal. Oh yes, he was watching those.

When the knife stuck in his neck, blood bubbled in his mouth, choking slightly on his own life. **_I just killed a living man. _**And she felt guilty even if it was self-defence, and the only option she had left. She had to protect her family. And that's exactly what she had done.

She cried then, letting the tears continue as she shook, rolling his jerking body off her. Her legs were shaky as she got up, vomiting heavily into the sink. She hand her hands on her head, heavy sobs racking her body at the thought of being a murderer. **_Are you proud, daddy? _**She knew she needed to get Judith, treat Daryl and put everything back. But her hands wouldn't let her do anything, and she resigned to letting herself have a few moments to be pulled back together. She didn't know when the jerking limbs stopped, but she was never happier.

Minutes ticked by, and then the body on the floor convulsed again. It jerkily rose on dead muscled legs, head turning to the noise of her small cries. Her eyes met the undead ones of the man who had already done so much damage in life. Her blood wasn't helping, he was sniffing the air like some twisted hunting dog. Then he moved forward. Her own ankle wasn't holding weight so she shuffled quickly, trying to ignore the pain. She got them to the other side of the island, away from Daryl and away from Judith. That's when she realised her only weapon was in his neck. And the only way of getting it, was to get closer than she wanted with her old friend.

Where he was disgusting in life, as an undead he took the biscuit. Thick veins pumped black stagnant blood around waxy skin, muscles defined but unusable for their infinite strength. It was grotesque, and it was everything she never thought her later years would be. The undead man lunged at her, she felt herself fall, too exhausted to do anything else. The floor hit her hard and she watched waiting for him to bite, and the pain to come.

The undead man's body slumped. His head falling forward, revealing Daryl behind. The same knife that mutilated his Beth and woken him up with her screams was planted in the back of his head. Bulging black veins and cooling body were all that were left. And the nightmares. The dreams that unquestionably would hold that pain filled screaming that tortured him, knowing he had let her down the moment he wasn't strong enough.

He watched her as he rolled the body off. Shirt rolled up to reveal a bleeding stomach, the soft skin ragged and painful to look at. Tears had made permanent red lines down her swollen cheeks and that haunted look was forever going to break his heart. But there was relief there too, a sense of it all being over. The threat had gone and they were still alive, that had to be worth something at least, if not anything.

Daryl was sweating from exertion, his legs shaking finally gave way in front of her. He panted, wincing and holding out arms. Judith sat quietly in the box, staring at her surroundings, sensing the danger was over. Beth felt like collapsing. And she did into his arms, heavily. They slumped together against the counter, just accepting the comforting otherness of the other. They weren't alone. They were still fighting. He tried to ignore the metallic smell of blood, or her pain, or his own. Shut down everything, all the sensations except for her. She was all that mattered.

Daryl held Beth close, she sobbed, finally letting the anguish leave her. His legs were stiff and tired, he could do little but hold her tight to his chest. But that would be enough, for now. Adrenaline pulsed through his head, as he cradled her close. Her arms were wrapped around him, refusing to let go. And they'd stay like that until the others came back. It had been quite the day.

**_This was the hardest chapter to write as of yet, so tell me what you thought. xxx_**


	18. Chapter 18

**_Here we are lovelies! This story is nearly (so very nearly) at 10,000 views, which is like wow. Like, people have read something I've written and presumably kept reading…that's insane! Thank you for reading I am unworthy of your attentions, but I shall try to fulfil them! _**

Daryl let a few tear escape into Beth's hair, he didn't know exactly what happened. A man had been standing in the wood, something told Daryl he was dangerous, there was just that look in his eyes. And when he mockingly asked Daryl if the little lady was home alone and then raised his gun to Daryl's head, there was definitely something wrong. But Daryl managed to use the trees to his advantage, had he been anyone else he wouldn't anticipate the four bullets locations to duck out the way. But years of running and avoiding injury served him well, and he got back to the house, the man every step behind trying to overtake him. The thought had occurred the man didn't know where the house was, but the way he worded his question, Daryl just knew that he knew.

But the story could wait. Zombie land had taught us all that a story of magnitude, unless jovial, was told once. And once only. So he held her, realising how close to death she had been. She shakily looked up at him, teary eyes fluttering to meet his. And he leant down to meet her, gently kissing. Her shaky lips joined his softly. They met carefully and quickly, pulling away once satisfied the other was whole and understood their emotion. Then he kissed her forehead continuously with small butterfly kisses, and the gentle touch made her heart break with fatigued sentiment.

Judith moaned a little bit, and footsteps started walking toward the house. They could hear Sasha joking with Tyresse over shopping of some sort, and Kenneth's low chuckle made Judith babble slightly in her basket. The crunching footfalls turned to echoing steps on the wooden porch and then the door opened.

''Shit.'' Sasha saw the blood and the body on the white kitchen tiles, smeared all over. A loud crash sounded as she dropped the bag of supplies and took out her knife.

Tyreese started yelling Beth's name, and Daryl croakily tried to reply. His voice was lost under Judith's sudden shriek. They all turned and Kenneth hastily picked the child up checking her over. Judith began speaking unintelligibly, gabbing onto everything and explaining in her own words. Tyresse leant down and checked the body, it wasn't fully cold- whoever he was he was put down twice. Both knives stuck in his throat and skull.

Daryl wanted to stand of make noise, but his throat burned and all energy had gone from his legs so he couldn't move. His eyes were barely staying open. Beth was shaking, seemingly unaware of anyone else around, too worried that any noise she made would result in vomiting. But Sasha saw the out stretched leg of Daryl Dixon on the other side of the counter from where she moved to help inspect the body. If Daryl was down, something was wrong. But whipping round the corner only half his name got out her mouth before she saw Beth, white t-shirt and not moving.

''Daryl? Beth? Daryl- can you hear me, nod if you can-'' she enforced calm crouching down to hold Daryl's head up. His eyes rolled back again and he slumped. He was caked in mud and small scratches, his entire body drooped. And on first appearance he was the one in the worse state, Beth was shivering at his side, obviously still conscious but traumatised. Her first thought was that Daryl had got injured and they had to get Beth off.

Tyreese thought the same, and gently picked Beth up off of Daryl so Kenneth and Sasha could lie Daryl down. Beth's front was covered in blood, the red stain showing brightly on the white fabric and her pale complexion. They immediately assessed Daryl was fatally wounded, what else would make his collapse. This man had fallen down a cliff and come back bouncing. Shas pulled his shirt off, and despite the small amount of sticky blood that had leaked through his shirt there was no obvious sign of injury. They looked up at each other confused, maybe this blood was the man's.

Tyresse had lay Beth on the counter top, and started stroking her hair so the shivering would stop, as the others dealt with Daryl. If he was in that shape surely it was because he was protecting Beth and Judith. But they forgot there was something about Beth that made her formidable. Then he noticed the wet top, and asking for forgiveness pulled it up. He swallowed feeling sick.

''Sasha, look at Beth.'' Tyrese's voice trembled, and his sister instantly got up. When she saw she held onto the counter as to not fall backwards. Beth was covered in long bleeding lines, her abdomen was covered in them overlapping and crossing like a sick train map.

''What the fuck happened?'' She muttered to no one in particular. She turned running upstairs to grab pillows, blankets, water and towels, yelling out orders to put them both on the large dining room table form over her shoulder. The dining room had been set up with Herschel in mind just like the last house, side by side Beth and Daryl were lay down. As Sasha began to strip Beth off and told Tyresse to do the same, he gave her a look of 'if he wakes up I'm dead'. But they had to check for bites and other injuries.

Modesty is something you tended to lose at some point in zombie land. Beth seemed to have slipped into silent admission or unconscious consciousness, as Sasha checked over her pale limbs. Despite the obvious injury and some chaffing on her wrists she seemed fine. Even with the blood being washed off gently, the stomach looked bad. The covering seemed to be deep enough to avoid more than a total of seven stitches in different places. The small whimpers proved Beth was awake, and Sasha apologised as she spread antiseptic over the cuts. A soft blanket was put over her legs, to stop the shivers which had gradually slowed. Sasha then moved to stroke Beth's hair softly, talking at Beth about anything that came to mind, trying to play the mother. But she wanted to cry, who could mutilate _Beth_? That was a deterioration of humanity in itself.

Tyresse managed to pull Daryl's clothes off without waking him, but he leant back just in case. Even an injured Daryl could pack weight behind a punch. There were no signs of bites of anything more than scratched from twigs, so Tyresse just rubbed Beth's blood off him and patted him dry. Then he covered him in a blanket, before trying to wake him. Daryl shakily came too, moaning in pain. His eyes looked into Tyresse's and he gave a weak nod. Daryl whispered something, and Kenneth passed water forward. He drank it gratefully, pissed at needing to be helped. But he looked and saw Beth beside him and subdued to staring at her pale face. He started at her until he drifted off happily again to la-la land.

Once Beth had slipped off to a fretful sleep, a pillow under her head and two blankets to cover each half of her to leave only her stomach exposed, they all slipped into the living room and sat down in silence. Sasha had spots of Beth's blood on her wrists still, and even Judith was looking unhappy at the developments. Tyresse moved after twenty minutes, the tense anger getting too much to hold in. he dragged the body outside into the garden, ignoring that it might draw walkers due to the man having turned. Then he got set to cleaning the kitchen of blood and he swallowed when he saw four bits of rope cut open frantically. He returned to silence, passing everyone a well-deserved finger of whiskey to wash the taste out of their mouths. Why did they leave that girl alone?

After he finally got the SUV to start up again it was dark and Sasha had run out of insults that made much sense. Kenneth tried some new suggestions with her on the journey back, which they all laughed at. Casually insulting one another as 'monkey poo-bandits' as they grabbed a few bags each and began walking the last five minutes tot eh door, laughing the entire way. And then this.

'Where's Michonne?'' Kenneth coughed out, it was pitch black outside. She should have been back hours ago. Normally there would be no worries about her taking care of herself, but they thought that about Daryl too. They were supposed to be immortal and the close call put them all on edge. Periodically someone would look out the window, but to no avail as no one was ever there. Three members down, felt like they were barely surviving again, just like after the prison when they lost everything and everyone.

Judy was unhappy to have Kenneth's rushed and uneven lullabies instead of Beth's and she pouted refusing to sleep for a long time, but eventually they coaxed her into a rest against Kenneth's shoulder. He slowly began to fall asleep with his cheek pressed against the warmth of baby Judith's head, the silence and worry settling in. Tyresse sat with his eyes closed, thinking how lucky they were to get enough supplies to last a bit longer with two members out of commission for an undetermined amount of time, and another missing someplace else. Beth would be out for over a week, between her ankle and her scabbed-over stomach, he would personally be surprised if Daryl let her leave bed.

The next morning they all woke up in the same positions as the night before. Sasha's hand was holding her head up, saliva dribbled down her wrist slightly, she was the first to wake, bleary eyed and minded. Then it hit her. Her legs were curled up against Kenneth's hip so as she moved he stirred, in turn making Judith whimper. Sasha picked Judith up, who rubbed her eyes with fists and readily accepted a fruit juice-water bottle from the side. On the run they found some formula but they'd wait to use that until the person who knew how to make it was conscious. Kenneth stretched, rubbing his aching neck, rolling in back to make it click. He accepted a bottle feeding Judith so Sasha could check upon the patients. Another issue with it being Beth: she was the baby and injury expert.

Daryl was easy to stir awake, his blue eyes instantly opened, clear and focused unlike yesterday. He sat up on aching arms, stretching them slightly. His entire body was still exhausted and feeling ill from yesterday's events. He shook his head to clear it as pillows were propped underneath him.

''Beth?''

''Just a few stiches and we're gonna try waking her now.'' Sasha tried to smile at him, but he could see her furrowed brows and the stress. He nodded anyway at the attempt, taking the bottle of water and pills gratefully. He sipped as Beth's arm was shaken.

Her lips parted and she groaned, eyes fluttering. Sasha called her name and she croaked a tired 'yes', finally opening the eyes to stared at Sasha's face. The stress lifted somewhat, they were both fine. Beth had to stay mostly lying down, but she still managed to tell Sasha which pills she as going to need and where to find them. Then she groaned and reached for Daryl's bottle, he handed it over, helping her prop up to her elbows to drink even on his aching arms.

''I'm glad you're awake, but Michonne never came back last night. Did she come back whilst you were here?'' Sasha tried to sound offhand as if it might stop the fear. But Beth's throat made an involuntary strangled noise and she shook her head. Michonne couldn't be gone, she couldn't.

''Tyresse and I will go and see if there's any sign of her, no more than a mile away alright? Kenneth has Judy. She's fine Beth, she's totally fine! And we'll talk about what happened when we get back with Mich', okay?'' Sasha tried to fit into a temporary leader role, she had to make sense of this collapse. They had to fix it, because everyone's heart had been torn out, put back in and torn out again. Beth was soothed knowing Judith was being taken care of even if it didn't quell the fear of Michonne. If I could take him, Michonne could take him. And Daryl was wondering if Michonne would appear at being called 'Mich' to decapitate the speaker.

Daryl preferred to remain sat up a bit, and said he would help Beth get some food down her. This resulted to him feeding her cheerios' one by one. A couple of hours passed by, Kenneth remained largely in the living room with Judith who when around Beth only wanted to have a hug which would disrupt the healing. Beth and Daryl exchanged a few nonsense ideas and thoughts, eventually talking about how they hated being on a table like an insect, and then to impressive illness and injuries of their past.

It was bittersweet. Beth loved having hours lying next to Daryl to just talk about needless things, but it hurt to laugh or move. Daryl felt his cheeks hurt from smiling, just so happy she was alright. And seemingly coping, or at least she wasn't mute or killing herself, so he guessed it was all good. He edged closer, lying on his side and stroked her cheek with his thumb. The medication made her drowsy so she soon slipped into an exhausted nap, keeping her hand holding his.

The outside door opened and closed, and a set of three footsteps entered.

**_Can't wait to write the next chapter! Reviews make me type fast_**


	19. Chapter 19

**_So guys, here we are the introduction of two (obvious) new additions to the story- bam bam bam! So as said so many times, but still meaning just as much, thank you for the support. Xxx. _**

Michonne led the way in, though both Glenn and Maggie had been here before. The first thing that hit them was the heavy smell of bleached mixed with the burning flesh from outside, obviously some walker had got too far or Daryl went on a barbeque hunt. Glenn sighed and leant heavily against the counter, he and Maggie were exhausted and near falling apart. Michonne had helped drag them back, finding only berries and bark to give them. If it were Daryl he'd shoot something, but Michonne wasn't able to catch those quick rodents like him.

The walk had taken it out of her too, so when she got in she simply called out a 'hello' sure someone was in. Kenneth came round almost instantly having heard the door shut. He caught the eyes of Maggie first, a strange look on both their faces. _Who the hell are you? _Her eyes widened when she saw Judith on his hip, happily chewing on her own fingers, and she felt like crying. Michonne wasn't the exact talking partner, rarely having need to say anything unless with Beth and Daryl.

''Glenn and Maggie, Beth's sister.'' Kenneth looked at them with vague familiarity, the swishy short hair of Beth's sister throwing him off. They were so different, Maggie held herself like confident fighter, and somehow more like Michonne than soft Beth.

''Where is she?'' Maggie's voice was hoarse, she refused the water bottle from Glenn to look directly at Kenneth. As soon as he looked away she knew something was wrong. A strange noise escaped her like a near cry and her entre body went on edge. Michonne too stopped leaning and glared. What had she missed? She should have known as soon as Judith wanted to be with Kenneth before her afternoon nap not Beth.

''There was an incident, she's fine-well, she's alive, just sleeping right now- I promise. Tyresse and Sasha went to look for you.''

''What happened? - What do you mean you don't know? Where is she?!'' Maggie's breathing was getting erratic, each footstep brought her threating toward Kenneth. Yes, he thought, not like Beth at all. But Michonne wrapped an arm around her pulling her back and whispering in her ear, Maggie's slumped again, totally exhausted.

''She's just through here,'' he knew that Maggie wouldn't be able to relax until she saw he baby sister, he'd feel the same way about any of his children.

He led them through the hallway to the door of the dining room, standing aside so they could go in. Maggie hurried in. Beth was lying on the far side of the dining room table, her golden hair splayed out clean and bright making her look like some princess. She could have been. The steady rise and fall of her chest made her breathe and want to cry. Daryl was beside her, also lying there, to which Michonne gave Kenneth a pointed look for not mentioning. Daryl had dozed off, making him seem ill too, and his fingers were still entwined with Beth's but the fallen blanket and their bodies hid it from Maggie.

When she reached Beth's side she could see the problem. And her world stopped. The expanse of scarring skin and red lines finished the entire story for her, why that man had stopped chasing them, he had found a new girl to cut up, her baby sister. And she hated him, and she hoped he was dead, that Daryl must have got him. Maggie started sobbing, Glenn limped enough to put an awkward arm about her shoulders. The sounds of sobs woke Daryl from his brief rest, he sat up and upon seeing Maggie his hand shot out of Beth's. Michonne having been the only one who saw, smirked to herself.

''Maggie? Short round?'' His eyes narrowed, wondering if he was in reality or drug crazed hallucinations, after all Sasha had chosen his medication. Besides, he remembered seeing Merle all too vividly after that damn horse kicked him off. Everyone looked at him, and he regretted speaking, feeling too exposed suddenly. Being on a table didn't help either, making him taller yet.

Maggie and Glenn were happy to take a sofa to sleep on for a few hours, after Kenneth looked ta glens leg and cleaned it. They knew Beth or Sasha would have to do more later, but removing mud was a good start. Michonne was edging on fatigue, but she used the old world trick of making coffee and stealing some of the liquorice synonymous with Maggie to give her a buzz. She had to find Tyresse and Sasha. Kenneth like the oddly awake one in the world of the sleeping dead.

Beth groggily opened her eyes, totally oblivious to the events of the day. Daryl, who had woken up a few minutes before was on his side again staring intently at her. His blue eyes softened with the tired smile she gave him. Her hair was mused and her face deadly pale still. But she was alive, and that was enough for him. She wondered why he had that look on his face.

''Can we go to bed tonight?'' Her voice was gentle and whispering. She shifted and winced slightly, the harsh wooden table was losing its comfort. His face dropped again, just a fraction but that was a lot for Daryl. ''What?'' She tried to lean up to look at his face properly, something had changed but she didn't know what.

''Beth, princess, Maggie's here.'' He watched her eyes widen, he answered her questions gently, stroking her arm. Part of him knew this was over, he would never get Maggie's approval to be whatever this was with Beth. And he'd never ask. And he hated himself for feeling bad, knowing surely that Beth would be happier with her sister than with him. They'd be friends again, or even less like back at the prison. And that wasn't allowed to make him feel this cold, it just wasn't.

He got up, muscles straining and tired but he couldn't take lying down doing nothing again. Beth was staring at the ceiling, thinking about stuff too, trying to digest the limited information they had. Maggie was here, alive. Glenn was here and he was injured. They were both tired and on the sofa sleeping.

Kenneth and Sasha were sat at the kitchen table, lazily playing a card game. Tyreese bounced baby Judy, who when she saw Daryl held up arms to be picked up. He took her holding her close, burying his face into the child's neck. Judith laughed at the feel of his stubble, but for Daryl it was the closest to hugging Beth that he could have now. Not to mention that he was just as relieved at her being alive after yesterday as well, though he knew Beth would always be the first one to sacrifice herself for that baby.

They all convened in the dining room for dinner, having collective soup in bowls and mugs around the table. The meal was eaten in silence, only Judith's babbling disrupting the awkward silence. Maggie fed Beth small amounts at a time, but she was unenthusiastic, feeling like her stomach was so heavy it might drop through the solid table. When the meal was over it was time to tell the story. Maggie explained how they got out the prison together, found their way eventually to this place. And then how the man broke in one day, pinning Maggie down and scarring her stomach with a knife, leaving them to run where he hunted them down. After this Beth explained she and Daryl, eventually found the others one by one, eventually moving to this their third rendezvous point.

Maggie was so relieved to see her sister, even if she was hurt. Hearing Beth's soft voice was enough, even if right now she knew only the basics of her story. They had time, and she'd never let her go again. Beth was begging to be moved upstairs or to be allowed to try and stand, to avoid the shit that would go down if Daryl saw anyone let Beth stand up, they agreed to move her upstairs. Daryl's arms wrapped carefully under Beth, trying not to jolt her at all, as if she were those china dogs his mama kept wrapped in tissue under the sink. He spread her on the bed they had been sharing, pulling the duvet across her now that the cuts had scabbed over, she snuggled down making a cute murmuring noise over the soft envelopment of cotton heaven. He turned to leave, but she held his hand.

''Don't leave me.'' Her voice was small and she held tighter to his fingers. She could see it in his eyes, the way he avoided looking at her, knowing he was pulling away. And knew why, and could totally agree with his possible thoughts on this. Maggie would shoot him. But that didn't mean he wasn't just as important to her now. He was family, they all were. And she needed him, there was a dependency on him just being there that made her live each day to day.

He sighed, knowing he had to go. But she was his undoing, so instead he let go to close the door, trusting Michonne to make up some excuse and clue Kenneth in. He lay on the bed next to her, trying not to move the mattress too much like he had done for Judith. She smiled sweetly and getting shot was almost worth it. Resisting anything more he pecked her cheek, but her small hands brought him back to kissing again, slowly trailing to her mouth.

Downstairs Maggie and Glenn were settling themselves on the sofa to join in planning with the others. An extra two people would cause inevitable strain and now two were staying her until they could walk and another a baby. When Daryl didn't come back down, Maggie looked up at the ceiling questioningly.

''They're probably going through what happened yesterday, Beth and Daryl got quite close, we all have.'' Michonne said smoothly, instantly quietening doubts. Daryl would do the same for her, and Beth needed to understand if she didn't already.

''Daryl Dixon? He made friends with someone? And that someone was Beth, my baby sister Beth?'' Maggie laughed out incredulously, Glenn genuinely joined in, and Tyresse and Sasha caught on enough to nervously chuckle along. Beth and Daryl may not have been a couple, but there was something further than friendship going on, blind person could sense the sexual tension between the two of them. Kenneth moved to say something, probably unrelated to the tension thing but just in case he got a sharp elbow to the ribs. Michonne gave him a look. And he understood to just be quiet for a while, until Michonne had chance to at long last explain the Beth/Daryl/Judith relationship to him. Which made next to no sense as of yet.

Daryl was hungrily kissing Beth one floor above. Where once he found her and needed to know she was alive, now he needed all that energy to be equated to something positive. She was holding his face tightly to hers, fervently kissing back but arching her back slightly until it became too much strain. Little murmurs and moans escaped them both, and all he could do was run his fingers up and down her small curves. All the passion in the world multiplied by how near he had been to losing her. Soon his hands matched her, threaded through each other's hair to keep each other close. And all the emotion was bubbling over, his thoughts going so fast he missed the one that slipped out.

''I love you.''

**_So, another obstacle huh? xxx_**


	20. Chapter 20

**_Bam-bam niceness, some of the last reviews made me nearly cry guys thank you so much for the lovely comments :') xxx_**

''So if Daryl and Beth, aren't a thing- who's Judith's father?'' Kenneth kept his voice low, but the snores form the living room where Maggie and Glenn were still camped out proved they weren't listening. Still Daryl had slept in their room and he was lurking around. It may be known to everyone but Kenneth sensed this was a sensitive issue. And as in every world and dimension, instead of politely not mentioning the sensitive topic, they whispered back and forth during breakfast.

''Rick.'' Michonne sipped her water bottle, then started slowly strapping up her laces tightly.

''The sheriff guy with the kid, right?'' He waited for a nod and then continued, ''so he and Beth?'' his voice trailed off in the high eyebrows way. Michonne's head snapped up quickly realising her mistake, she wanted to laugh and be sick at the image Kenneth had inadvertently just placed in her mind. Beth was coming off as a real older men gal.

''No, just no. Judith's mother died when she was born.'' Michonne sighed, rubbing her forehead.

''Oh, what was she like?'' Kenneth was genuinely shocked for a second. It seemed obvious really that Beth was probably too young, and dare he say weak, to carry a child for nine months and still maintain such levels of optimism.

''Don't know, never met her myself either. But Beth's had that baby from day one. As I understand it I wouldn't mention it in front of Maggie, she's the one who had to- y'know- uh- cut the kid out her stomach.'' Michonne shivered and Kenneth pushed his bowl away from him. It was easy to forget that people hadn't known each other for years like in this world, and often there wasn't time to learn everyone's story. And this story was one he was happy not knowing in detail.

At this point Daryl stomped down the stairs, cross bow slung over his back. He grunted a 'good morning' and shoved a bottle and some food into his pockets. He made a face at Michonne that said 'get going', even though he was the one she was waiting for. She made a small face at Kenneth and got up, pulling her jeans up and leaving with him.

''What's up with you and Beth?'' Michonne spoke quietly as she stepped silently in time with Daryl, they were to go in partners form now on, until the paranoia had settled for everyone. They had been walking for near on an hour. She was scouting for walkers and he was checking for clues to see if the man was alone, as well as keeping an eye out for any meat to thicken up the soups. Beth needed to replenish her iron and nothing was better than fresh meat for that.

She could guess it was something to do with Maggie being there, but it seemed unlikely he'd be this tense. Yesterday she just watched him resign himself to loneliness, pulling away into Daryl isolation. But this was different this was anger pointed internally and slightly at Beth. Keeping up with him was hard work, he never slowed for hills. The green passed in a blur as she followed yesterday's trail. It was like trying to talk to a child, a difficult one at that.

''Daryl, don't make me ask again.'' She stopped him by making a katana barrier, if he wasn't telling Beth he would break apart slowly. Maybe once he could do all this alone, but he'd learnt to be social, and those times were past. So he was opening up damn it.

''I told her I loved her.'' His voice was small and bitter, he sat down exhausted, chewing on some red liquorice. She was right, he had to get this out his head. Normally he would scream and mutter to himself in the middle of the woods, telling the trees all his secrets. Maybe Michonne could be a tree. She just stood there, eyes not quite direct on him, keeping eyes open fir surprises though there would be none. Eventually the silence got to him so he looked up to Michonne, who gave him a confused look. He tried not to think about how Beth's confused face included a small tilt of her head to the left like some damn cute puppy.

''You don't have to say it back if you don't want to, Beth won't mind.'' Daryl gave a sheepish look and then looked down. And it was clear the last thing Michonne expected to happen had happened. She hasn't said it.

She hadn't said it back. And she didn't know why. Her mind flickered casual between the present and last night, not knowing that Daryl's was doing exactly that too. She sighed, sitting up in bed and trying to play with Judith with a straight back. That was the agreement. Between Daryl and her sister it would a wonder if she ever managed to get a paper cut again. Her stomach was healing, only the puckered lines occasionally stretched too far and would bleed a tiny bit, but it wasn't anything to worry about. She prescribed herself some antibiotics from the stash downstairs, knowing too well that the man's knife could have been in anything and anywhere before her flesh.

Judith giggled extraordinarily cheerful to be able to have mummy Beth back. And Beth felt the day without her two, forgetting entirely what a brat she had been the day of the attack. Beth held her soft chubby arms as she tried clambering around, she wanted to cry at how fast she was growing. Soon she wouldn't need Beth to hold her and feed her and interpret her cries, and although she was proud she had reached this point, there was a bitter fear that Judith would grow up cold and numbed to horror being so used to it. She had to be showered with love. Love. There was that word again, right back to last night.

''I love you.'' He said is so quietly if his face was pressed against her burning cheek she wouldn't have heard it. But it was, and she did. She froze, eyes snapping open. And he paused as if his mind only just caught up with his verbal blurting. He pulled back far enough for him to focus on her pretty youthful face. He wanted so badly to take it back, say he didn't mean it. But his tongue felt twice its normal size and his heart was reluctant to lie. He hadn't even really known it before he had said it, and now he was far too aware that this is what that was.

His hand slid down her hip, softly caressing her like she was something rare and precious. And then he pulled back. Lying on his back next to her and covering his face with his hands. It wasn't that she wasn't in love with him, or that she didn't believe he dint mean it. It's just that she had no idea what this was and that scared her, so instead she just watched him try to pull himself together. She regretted it now, knowing how badly he must be hurting or worrying or however Daryl's react to such happenings. But he had left before she had concluded that she must love him too, and before either of them had put themselves back together.

Her thoughts were broken by Maggie coming in with a bottle of formula, handing it to Beth. The elder sister winced and Judith got herself onto Beth's lap, leaning against the injuries with a childlike obliviousness. But Beth didn't care, she smiled and wrapped an arm around her putting the teat to the baby's mouth. Judith took it, excited for the change from watered down soups and fruit juices, the familiar taste of the prison. Maggie contemplated going back downstairs to glens side, it always felt like intruding when those two were together. But they had to be together, because without Beth Judith would inevitably grow up to be a miniature psychopath like the governor, she needed Beth's gentle softness.

''Hey Bethy,'' Maggie decided to stay, setting gingerly on the edge of the bed feeling like there were a hundred years between them now. Beth looked up and smiled softly, her cheeks a deceptive portrait of normality. But Maggie knew Beth, and maybe it was her own imagination but perhaps Beth was waiting for her to ask.

''So, Michonne said you and Daryl have been friends,'' she said it casually, but Beth's head still flicked up quickly. Her eyes held a undefinable wild look, that Beth knew to be 'oh dear, what did she say?'. She made a small questioning noise. To which Maggie slowly continued, ''seems weird Dixon being a friend, but I guess no one better in this world'', she shrugged her shoulders and made a joking tone. But Beth knew that this wasn't a random conversation, it was a demand for information.

''I got off the bus to look for Judith,'' Maggie nodded and Beth's arm tightened around little ass kicker slightly, making sure she didn't go anywhere. ''But I got stuck behind a group of walkers, the bus left before I knew what was happening and I though ti was all alone that no one would find me. And then Daryl was there, grabbed me out and we ran, just us two until we couldn't run anymore. I just lost daddy and I hadn't save Judith and you were-'' Beth broke off hating reliving this, but understanding why it was needed, ''-and then this guy attacked us, and it was too much and my voice it just went.''

''Wait, what does that mean?'' Maggie interrupted her looking genuinely confused. Beth made a noise of thought and moved Judith to rub her back for wind to escape.

''I couldn't talk, or I wouldn't. It was all so much and it was like back at the farm, but Daryl- I guess he understood what I needed without me being able to tell him. He'd call me chicken legs and tell all sorts of jokes to try and fool me into talking, but he didn't care. We were together for a few weeks, maybe a month, then the others came. But Daryl and I, we just get each other, Maggie, - same wave length or something. And when we found Judith's blanket he hiked it for days on end to get her back.'' Beth finished, looking at the beautiful curious eyes of her found baby, a wave of gratitude going through her again.

Maggie furrowed her brow and said a silent prayer to god, thanking him for giving her sister Daryl Dixon to keep her alive. She had to admit that Daryl was the best to keep someone alive, but she had personally always found his company lacking with his temper being too prominent. But Beth didn't paint it that way, and of course Beth wasn't the type to spark anger in anyone. Something about their secret wave length made Maggie feel uneasy, but Bethy would tell her if had tried anything and she was confident he hadn't. The man was oblivious to happy emotions it seems and doesn't let anyone touch him let alone seek out the attentions of a teenager. Beth was probably just another Sophia, or maybe a new Carol.

Maggie smiled, asking a few additional questions on how they found this place, which places they stayed before. They moved into passing conversation on little things, just enjoying have each other back. Judith cooed happily holding onto Beth to stand up again with wobbly legs, managing steps while holding onto Beth's outstretched hands, she giggled at her own antics and tried stumbling closer to Beth. Once her head was on Beth's shoulder she gave her mummy a tight hug, letting herself rest, eyes falling closed.

''You're real good with her, Beth.'' Maggie smiled at got up to leave them to nap. Sometimes Beth could be a real grown up woman that Maggie didn't realise existed until this world broke down. She was meant to be a child still, getting drunk with friends behind their parents back and spending obscene amounts of money of clothes. But they didn't have parents, and it stung that Beth didn't need her to be in 'loco parentis' instead.

Daryl sighed looking at Michonne, he couldn't express what he was feeling. How he felt trapped by saying those words when he was so inexperienced with them. He had never been in love before, and that was obvious, but he knew he meant it. And he was scared that he did, what if he lost her now. It would hurt more. And they were supposed to be pulling apart as to not worry Maggie, not getting even deeper into all of this shit. And she hadn't said it back, which hurt possibly the most. He didn't say anything, but the look Michonne gave him was a simple. Talk to her.

When they got back, Daryl slipped upstairs to ask Beth what they were. He had to stop the nagging. He pushed open the bedroom door, and stopped. Beth was sat up with a small mountain of pillows, her arms were around a sleeping Judith. Ass kicker had her legs around Beth middle, head rested on Beth's chest sleeping soundly, with Beth's cheeks rested on top. Her eyes were closed and tiny breaths could be heard. So he just stared instead, thinking those same three words and knowing he could exist as long as these two were alive.

**_Back to school tomorrow, so I'm sorry if the updates slow a bit xxxx (but reviewers remind me to write)_**


	21. Chapter 21

**_I think my grammar and spelling and coherency might disappear half way down, I took my glasses off and it's just a white blur hahah so umm yh sorry….walking dead was good right guys, freaking love Michonne atm. xxx_**

He sighed in the door way, taking a longing look to keep with him for next time he was lonely. He wanted to stare longer, but knew best to just go down stairs. She was exhausted and needed the rest. Small red grazes along her arm and shoulder were still healing alongside the ankle, from when the herd attacked. And now she only had to have been tortured a day later by some sadistic bastard. And then he realised she had killed that man, all by herself. She didn't need him, and he felt guilty for not realising sooner. Beth was an independent woman, she could do it all without him, should she choose. And the freedom she gained from the heartbreak, shackled him in incomprehensible fear of her impending flight. And he would lose her. If he hadn't yet.

He stayed up late, staying downstairs after dinner. Judith had been fussy so Kenneth had taken her for a while. When it past twelve and she still wouldn't settle longer than half an hour, Daryl took over, letting the yawning man head to his bed. He wasn't paying attention to anything, just knowing he couldn't rest yet. Taking every few minutes as it came, until the little hands on the mantle clock pointed at 3 am, and the hammer noiselessly hit pieces of cloth.

''You shouldn't be walkin' lil' girl.'' Daryl's voice was distant and rough, he was illuminated only by the lit end of a cigarette and some soft candles. She jumped at him voice, looking over to the corner where he was sat on the windowsill, tipping ash onto the poor shrubbery. His icy gaze seemed to be the only source of light in that corner, but she didn't mind. She limped slowly over toward him, hands finding anything to give her extra support.

''Couldn't sleep?'' Her voice was light, she leant against the edge of the window, less than a metre away from hm. But she could have been a million miles away, and it couldn't make any difference to him right now. He was drowning in thoughts, pulling up every memory of her sweet southern voice. The first time he had heard it, she was screaming. Over a dead mother and brother. He knew that voice crashed into his life screaming, and it would leave screaming too. No matter how hard he tried.

''Ass-kicker's been cryin', you not sleepin', Beth?'' Her name jarred in his throat, feeling a subtle change between them. The word 'princess' fading into the conscious unsaid between them. The way she looked at him, he knew she sensed it too. Of course she did, she was Beth. The sad look she gave him was only enhanced by the slow shake of her head.

''Slept all day.'' He wanted to say 'I know'. But he couldn't, and he selfishly didn't want to tarnish that memory by mixing it with any sadness. He was wary, always had been, he grew up that way. His hands could wrap into her soft hair, her lips only a beat away from finding his, if he sat up and let it happen. But Judith saved the worry.

Beth held her arms out for a tearful, fussy Judith. Daryl quietly handed her over, having got to the basket and back to save Beth the journey. She grateful smiled at him, and gave the child a concerned look. It could be any number of things; tiredness, upset tummy, teething. But they had no way of knowing so she swaddled her tighter in the blankets how she did when Judy was younger, and bounced her gently side to side. The ugly lines on her stomach protested but held fast, slowly pulling out a light rhythm.

**_Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep, _**Judith's small whimpering cries got softer, she lifted her own little hands to wipe away irritated tears from her rosy cheeks. Sniffling and snotting still, Beth had that look of adoration on her face. The one that made Daryl feel like he was intruding and needed to be closer, all at the same time. **_I'm tired and I, I want to go to bed. _**The exhaustion was hitting Daryl, the soft lullaby making his own eyes heavy, he could nearly forget everything he had to tell her and go to a final sleep. But he couldn't close them. Not when she was lit up by the moon from the open curtains, and the suffocating vanilla candles on the shelf.

This little girl who was born for so much more than bloodshed and death, **_sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep, _**she was all she never would have had to have been. A teenage mother, a murderer and an orphan. But zombie land makes those things achievements, not some social cliché to avoid. **_And then leave me alone. _**And she deserved the world, but all he had to give was what he had right now. That might never be enough, and one day at his increasingly inevitable end, she would be as good as gone. **_Don't try to wake me in the morning, 'cause I will be gone_** Separated from her on earth was nothing to what it would be like seeing her reach the cosmos heavens, as he lay down in hell.

Judith snuffled slightly, falling back off into reluctant sleep, Beth still willingly bouncing and singing.**_  
Don't feel bad for me, _**she was perfect. Wispy blonde hair pulled back in a rushed plait, strands falling round her face where they escaped reluctant confinement. Eyes downcast, he could see the shadow off he lashes on her cheeks.**_ I want you to know, deep in the cell of my heart I will feel so glad to go. _**Did anyone else see her? How anyone had missed the presence of an angel confused him, struck him down to the core. Somehow the beauty and the sadness slipped under everyone's radar, but never his. **_I don't want to wake up on my own anymore. _**He slipped up near her. Unable to stop his feet from standing behind her, or his arms from wrapping round her stomach lightly. His cheek rested on her shoulder leaning to her cheek.

If he shocked her she made no move or fault to acknowledge it. From here he could see ass kicker was pretty much gone, cheeks still red from fury at whatever woke her. **_Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep. _**Beth turned slowly, placing the baby in his arms to lie down again. The soft precious weight gave a pressure he guessed fathers got every time they saw their baby. But Beth only smiled, trusting him.**__**

There is another world  
There is a better world  
Well, there must be.

He stepped away, feeling the pull back, but deciding he had to learn to live without it. After all this could never work between them, no matter what he angel voice made him think. The silence offered respite from her hypnotic perfection so he could think clearly. He had to get out. Turning his back on her to talk away.  
**_  
_**''You're trying to pull away, aren't you?'' Her voice wasn't sad, nor was it accusatory. Still she wrapped an empty arm around her stomach. The gentle tone was at odds with her singing only moments ago. He was stood in the doorway, ready to leave. His fists clenched in resolve, not even really looking back, he muttered a half-hearted excuse.

''Your sister-'' his voice started resigned and exhausted, reminding him of the early hour.

''Maggie won't care.'' Her voice was quick, a sharper tone to it now. She hadn't spoken loudly, but raised her voice confidently above a whisper. He whipped round to look at her. Her face was blank and she stood up straight, feet planted.

''You don't know-'' once again he felt himself get cut off, and frankly it pissed him off a bit.

''Stop hiding, you said you love me.'' Maybe it was her emotionless voice, tinted with an emotion he rarely got to hear. She caught his gaze, and he looked down to the floor, rubbing the back of his neck with a heavy sigh. But she wasn't having it, she was getting an answer. This time her voice wavered a bit in doubtful anger, still only talking level but it may as well have been shouting. ''well, you did, didn't you?'' he could see her chest puff out, as she tried to calm herself down. Angry tears were on the verge of spilling, but he forced himself to look at her face.

Her eyebrows were knitted together, top teeth slightly biting the bottom lip. She was waiting for an answer he wouldn't give. He wanted to run, unable to watch her shaking hands tug on the hem of her t-shirt anymore.

''And now you're leaving because I didn't say it back?'' she sighed again, voice small and shaking, her entire control fading slowly to oblivion. She was getting soft and hurt, he could see it through the fact she was steeling herself, pretending she could take this.

''E-exactly,'' he looked into her eyes, hoping he was trained enough to not break down the wall. He couldn't let her past that anymore, it just wouldn't work. Her she was with his alibi, handing to him so he could walk away and keep her safe from a distance.

''No.'' She met his gaze just as confidently, and like a punch that one word delivered.

''No?'' he tilted his head at her, as she would do when she knew she was missing something.

''You're pulling back because you got too close.'' She somehow managed to step gracefully closer, even with a bad ankle he didn't see her falter her voice was soft gain, back to the whispers. ''and if I said- if I said **_it _**back, you'd want to run.'' she looked up at him, faces only inches apart. He felt trapped in the closeness of their stance, but knew breaking out was the last thing he wanted to do.

Her slim arms wrapped around him, holding him in a one-sided embrace. And instantly he was back at the prison when that boy died, and she came over to comfort him. And he opened his heart to Beth Greene for the first time, not knowing it wouldn't be the last. He should've known when he saw the look in her eyes, when she said she didn't cry anymore. The same blue eyes looked at him not, scared and desperate, grabbing at his own for longing understanding.

''I love you, Daryl.''

Her voice broke, and the tears began to cascade down her cheeks. He could see her physically shaking, but still holding onto him, resting her head on his shoulder. But he didn't move. He just let her cry, because someone she had broken at those words the same way he had. Him saying it could be passed as a mistake, something to brush over in a few months once their wounds had healed. But confirmation form her put them both in concrete water. She sobbed against him, and gradually his ears started to move. He held her frail frame against his, one hand on the back of her head keeping her close and the other rubbing circles on her back.

Once she slowed her crying, he gently held her by the shoulders and pulled he back to look at her face. She looked so young and vulnerable, as he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

''I ain't gonna run, but I can't promise I ain't gonna screw up sometimes.'' His sounded unsure, his raspy voice whispering. But it was he sweetest thing she'd ever heard, she leant up and caught his mouth. He held her gently like a piece of damn china, acting like they'd never done this before. Her entire body felt spread of wildfire and tingling to his touch like ice. She knew she wanted more, so she pressed for it, and he pressed back.

He scooped her up gently with no real effort on his part. Keeping his arm close enough to him as to only momentarily break the kiss. And when she was lay down on the sofa, they stopped playing cute and coupley to give into the heightened emotions flying around earlier. His shirt was swiftly removed, her soft hands uncaringly stroking the rough scars of his past, soothing them with expert hands. Now he could do the same for her. His cold hands on the fresh warmth of her stomach made her jolt slightly, so he paused thumbs slowly tracing the hideous lines. She had to know he didn't care. But to make sure he uncaringly pulled her top off, flinging it across the room. His wet lips kissed tenderly down her abdomen, she gasped at the sweet sting. Wanting to cry again, because she knew what he was doing.

He gazed back at her lit up face, a sweet smile toying ghost like on her lips, eyes closed and quivering. Then he realised she was topless for the first time in front of him. Her gentle paleness stretched from a flush neck to the gentle, small curves, into angry red lines. He could only imagine what the continuation of flawless skin would've been like, but he didn't care. He got to see warrior Beth, the one with a bit of fight in her. Enough fight to fight for the man no one wanted for the last 30 years. He kissed and nipped every perfection he saw, admiring the crazy beauty and working his way back up to her sugary taste.

Her back arched and little mewls escaped her, making him hold her down against him, so she knew what she did. Their lips met again, hungry and fervent. The proof of everything that they said, and a way to sign the contract. He pulled her up closer, relishing everything about her, murmuring nothings into her ear. His cheeks flushed red and heart twice the size. He had Beth wrapped around him, a family upstairs and a place to call home. It may be zombie land but he finally felt some semblance of peace.

If only it would have stayed so safe.

**_This was fun to write, I did a little role-playing to see how lines would be delivered, it was fun! xxx_**


	22. Chapter 22

**_So sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was too busy with family troubles, and I honestly didn't feel like writing afterwards. So ate chocolate and watched 2 broke girls in attempt of cheering up….anyway hope you enjoy xxx_**

She woke up on the sofa, the pale light streaming through the window. The candles had blown out in the cold wind that gushed around the room from the open window where Daryl had sat smoking hours earlier. The same wind sent a chill down her spine and it's only then she realised it was because she had no top on, she swore under her breath and looked at the clock. It was nearly six. Daryl's arm was comfortably around her, and she knew when she moved he would most likely wake up. It was a tough choice, topless Daryl cuddles or no Maggie (or anyone else) walking in on them.

Subtly she got up, finding her top and putting it on. She felt somehow lonelier being slightly apart from him, missing the comfort. Surprisingly the exhaustion of life kept Daryl heavily sedated in his lightly breathing way, that man never made practically any noise. She smirked testing out her ankle, thankfully it seemed to be improving day by day. Judith had remained settled, her pouting face made Beth smile as she checked the kitchen to make sure Michonne wasn't down yet. Her heart felt like it had flooded when the room was mercifully empty.

She came back and smiled at Daryl laying on the sofa, on his side the gap where she had moved from still reserved. She walked over to the emergency backpack and pulled out a blanket spreading it gently over him, kissing his head slightly and running her hand along his hair to move it out his face. He made a tired noise somewhere between a purr and discontentment at waking, but simply went straight back willingly to unconsciousness.

Michonne came down half an hour later, deliberately having stayed in bed knowing Beth had never slipped back in beside her. Expecting to see them both in the living room and willing them to give a special morning alarm. Instead she covered her mouth at the image of Daryl Dixon wrapped in a pink fluffy blanket pouting in his sleep, the same expression the toddler had. She snickered as she slipped away. Beth was in the kitchen sat at the table, facing the door with a gun lazily in her hands. She wasn't paying attention, since Michonne managed to sit down before her eyes became focused. They shared a small smile of good morning and I'm alive.

Daryl woke up after the best rest he had had in a long time. The smell of sunshine had drifted from his nostrils and he looked down only to roll his eyes at his old blanket friend. He stretched lazily, his back clicking graciously. Shoving the blanket back into the ready to go backpack, and pulling on an unbuttoned shirt he wandered into the kitchen. Everyone was convened around the table, idly talking about what foods they wouldn't eat before the apocalypse but would now. Practically everything. And as he strolled in a unanimous squirrel rang out.

He looked at the stares and shrugged morning in acknowledgment, noticing the smirks he looked up.

''What?'' his voice was gruff, and even Judith seemed to be hiding a subtle smile from him. He shoveled peanut buttered crackers into his mouth.

''How's sleeping beauty this morning?'' they all looked up maliciously with equal smirks. Beth's sweetness was a kind of curse, unless she did it on purpose, in which case damn that little thing. Oh, damn her anyway for looking so unavoidably hot with messed up hair and that confident gleam in her eyes.

''Shut up, china man'' Daryl muttered into his last bite, too loud to be avoided by anyone at the table.

''I'm Korean!'' Glenn's voice rose with untold passion, to which everyone (wife included) smirked and scoffed at. He glared at them all, cursing his arms momentarily before realising he had food on his plate to nibble on still, so he set about doing that. Over the momentary distraction Beth felt Daryl's eyes flicker over her face, she gave him a coy smile back, before the discussion of the days plans began.

Maggie and a bandaged cabin-fevered-after-two-days Glenn went out with Tyreese to see if they could collectively fix up the SUV for good. Sasha and Kenneth were happy to do the walk back and forth with supplies to get them from the boot of the car and back. Judith was left in the capable care of Beth who wanted to check out the attic for anything useful, Michonne warned Daryl that if he left the house with the two of them alone she would use her katana in an intimate place. He nodded under the pretense of Maggie and casually slunk upstairs after a limping Beth to help her check it out. Who knew it could be fun.

Amongst the relics of the life that God had kicked them out of, Beth and Daryl found an old box of toys. She left Judith in an empty, shallow box to play. Ass kickers happy burbling and the noises of wooden blocks hitting each other soon grew to be a nice backing track to root around this place. Beth loved jobs like these. She'd make up stories about the old owners in her head, like she had done at the first house, giving them a happy holiday. The family from here were visiting old college friends in Rome right now, she was convinced of it. Maybe someday she'd get to go to Rome too. And even if for only one day she would see everything and eat everything. But she simply shook her head, knowing she was thing ridiculous if not impossible things.

Daryl for his part bumped off the load to let Beth shift through boxes, they had divided the boxes evenly between the two of them, but she examined every item with melancholy fondness that he stayed ace with her whilst also making faces as Judy and pushing over her tower so she had to start again. Trust you to be the kind of person to bully a one year old, he smirked to himself, patting the child on the head with a quick ruffle of her small curls. Her chubby cheeks looked up at him frowning, upon seeing his tongue stuck out at her she chortled happily going back to her blocks.

He turned round to Beth staring at an old black and white photo of some long ago wedding. The rest of the box held yellowing silken fabric and soft folded newspaper articles of engagement announcements and betrothals. Her shoulder fought to not drop as she pushed the lid of the box closed again, moving on. But she left the framed picture on her lap. We've all got a job to do.

''Is that what you wanted before all this?'' he came nearer to her, looking more carefully at the photo. It was old, even he could tell no woman would wear that much material all at once nowadays, not even for a church wedding. Then he though how nowadays weren't the kind of times you got married in, unless you were Maggie and Glenn.

''The whole white wedding and kids thing?'' he continued to ask when she didn't answer,

''It's generic right, didn't everyone want that?'' She looked up at him, blue eyes steady and calm as her voice. A mass of pain hidden behind impenetrable walls of her inner dark place. Still smooth and southern honey to his ears. She shook her head, putting the photograph down on top of the closed boxes, back turned away from him. ''But I'd be a childless spinster if it meant I could have it all back.'' Daryl instantly knew what she meant. The lure of the new world, her and Judith, were they enough to compensate for everything he lost? Yes. But for what human kind had lost? No.

Her thoughts were drifting to childhood memories of assumptions she had made. Her daddy would walk her down the aisle. She'd have twins, obviously, painless and fast after marriage. Her husband would have a six figure pay check and say things like ''Honey, I'm home''. But now she was here. Unsure of when her time was going to inevitable run out. Father dead. Mothering an orphaned infant. And a redneck who loved her and shot squirrels. And that had to be enough. It simply must, because that's as good as it really gets in zombie land.

''You'd make the prettiest bride, Beth.'' He knelt down beside her, pulling her eyes to his. His voice shocked her, its softness was whispered against her ear as he pulled her tightly into a strong hug. The awkward pain of their positioning was given up as she slumped. If Daryl Dixon was comforting her she must really look upset. The compliment itself shook her to her bones, the sincerity of his words left an indisputable need to be silently thanked. She sighed heavily, and Daryl pulled back to look over her with his piercing blue gaze.

He leant back to grab the edge of Judith's confinement, pulling it across the wooden flooring easily, and pulling her out. Beth gave him a look when the child was put on her knee, tilting her head the way she did when she was confused. Judith happily chattered, using Beth as a climbing frame to get a soft hug. The gentle tightness of Judith around her, little arms giving compassion in a world of death. At least she had experienced life before, but perhaps that made it worse, or perhaps it gave her something to strive for.

Things were less grey whenever Judith was around, the little girl had faith in Beth, an unwavering bond between the two of them. Beth held Judith's face in warm soft hands looking into the happy eyes before kissing her little face all over in gently pecks, making her giggle. Judith had the same trust for Beth, as Beth had for Daryl.

That night Beth snuck downstairs again, learning to quietly bound down the last two creaky ones. Unsuspecting Daryl was on the sofa, clapping Judith's hands together. He was laying down and she was sat onto op his chest, little legs out straight as she giggled. So many survivors would pay their last tin of baked beans to hear a baby giggle again. He looked at the shadowy figure in the door with reluctant surprise, embarrassed he had been caught doing any games with Judith that didn't seem violent. If only he had dropped and caught her.

Beth only smiled sweetly, coming over to straddle him too, sitting legs either side across his stomach. He looked up at her and she whispered a small hello, cheeks burning red a little bit. Beth pulled Judith back again her, then pulled her hair out the bobble, hiding it in one hand and making Judith guess. It was a simple game, but Judith loved it, since occasionally they'd play it with snacks or Beth would cuddle her when she guessed right. Daryl watched Beth trick Judith over and over, the little girl smiling and hitting different clenched fists each time. Eventually Beth subtly hid the bobble entirely, giving a fake look of hyperbolic shock to Judith when she spun round for explanation. _Where did it go?_

Daryl was content to watch despite the attempts to include him. Eventually it seemed he faded into a laying spectator on which they sat. He was transfixed by her. Her gentle playful smile and way she supported Judith so delicately, giving her both independence to sit up and safety to not fall. The beauty of her motherhood was eclipsed by the soft angelic halo of blonde hair leaning over one shoulder and she noiselessly spoke to the child. She was a droplet of sun, he was sure of it, like those mythical creatures found in the wood. If undead cannibals existed then why not a goddess?

**_Hope you enjoyed, I know it's a bit slow atm just I don't wanna rush it all xxxx_**


	23. Chapter 23

**_This chapter is a bit dark, so sensitive people skip it :p But I hope you enjoy! xxx_**

He watched Beth for a while, playing happily with ass kicker and when she helped settle the child down for sleep. Her halo of softness held the child close, blue eyes wide with inextinguishable hope. And not for the first time it seemed she was the candle that lit the perpetual need to cling on to something more than what they had going for them. Zombie land did that to you. And Daryl could cling on to her, yes she was somehow exempt from the fear that consumed him around everyone else. She was home, and all he needed was for her to be there.

She got up only to put ass kicker in her own bed, and when she got back he had moved to lay on his side so that she could too. They shared soft kisses as if it were a regular need for them now, his strong arms encasing her in the only thing he had to offer- temporary protection. He would rip his own heart out and give it to her if that's what was necessary.

The gently kisses turned more drawn out, but never less sweet. Letting their eyes get heavy in the haven in this one room on this one sofa. Like losses didn't exist, and pain could be pushed to the side like peas on a plate. Her eyes fluttered first, as his ghosted her pretty face, the long lashes resting upon sun-pinked cheeks. At times like these she looked so young, so fragile, so breakable. And he wanted to wrap her up and keep her somewhere safe, in some attic box for the world to ignore in the apocalypse. It was stark to the tactful job as mother, where firmness was needed to combat stubbornness with embracing arms and quiet lullabies. Or the feisty warrior staking out her claim to live. He watched her fall asleep, and wished she could be just Beth, for a few hours.

Beth woke up in white patchwork sheets, the kind her mama used to make for the guest rooms. The heavy dark wooden furniture was blurred, her head heavy and slurring as if she were on some hefty pills. She wondered where she was, but her exhausted body also didn't care. She just waited it out in boredom, and then click it all fell back into sharpness with a knock on the door. When she spoke her voice was higher, gentle and less worn, the voice of a child.

The door pushed open and there stood Lori. Sleeveless shirt and dark brunette hair she tiptoed in as if she hadn't been dead for nearly a year. She settled a tray next to Beth. The fresh vegetables and salad looked tempting and unusually opulent to the usual meagre meals, but she couldn't find it in herself to feel hungry. She just wanted to cry.

''knock knock'' hearing her voice was even weirder, Beth reached out to grab Lori, moving off the bed to hold her arm. She did, and she laughed when she realised Lori was real and solid. Lori was alive. Her arms were thrown around her neck without a second thought, small tears escaping her. Judith had her mother back. But Lori didn't hold her back, she just stood there staring at the space she had vacated.

''How 'bout this, you eat up all that and we'll take a walk outside. It'll do you good.'' Lori nodded to the tray she had settled down, addressing the bed. Beth leant back, hurt at the glassy ignorance from the woman who held her when the farm died.

But the noise jarred with her, sifting inside her. She knew those words, she had ignored the same ones so long ago. Turning slowly Beth met with herself, hair cleaner, skin lighter and small wet eyes staring across the room. **Me? Beth, listen to me just eat it- take the walk.** Maybe then Lori wouldn't die. Now she could recognise the furniture, the heavy mahogany doors and clean white paint. This had been her home. She could resist walking around in wonder, touching the sturdy surfaces of the room in her ghost like state.

''You're pregnant?'' Beth's head snapped back to herself on the bed, had she really been that detached. How could she be that uncaring about such an issue? **That's ass kicker in there. **Lori wasn't showing, barely into real pregnancy. But she could remember asking that question, and it hurt her head to think back to that time now, but then she knew what was coming and her stomach dropped. **Don't say that.**

''How could you do that?'' the voice was still uncaring, away with the fairies somewhere else. Her sixteen year old self drowning in self-pity. **Get over it and get up. **She hated to think of the restful distain in her voice. That was little ass kicker, that was her baby and here she was slagging off her birth mother. **You'd be nothing without that woman's baby. **She wanted to shake her own shoulder, force sense through her own thick skull.

''I don't really have a choice.'' Lori smiled to cover the guilt, and Beth watched her eyes struggle to meet the girls. There was only concern and deep-rooted pain left in Lori, but old Beth didn't care. **I'm sorry, Lori. I'm so, so sorry. **But Lori couldn't hear her, or feel her and she would never know how truly resentful Beth was at herself for saying those words. Her punishment was never asking for the forgiveness, and so she'd never receive it.

''You think it will make a difference?'' old Beth was crueller. Or perhaps hadn't yet learnt the appropriate times to harden herself against the world. **I know you're only trying to help, and I threw that in your face. **A sob escaped her, but no comfort could be given by the deceased.

''Of course it will you eat something,'' Lori left the room, and honestly she didn't blame her.

The door knocked again, and Maggie got up off the bed. This was wrong, she hadn't been here. Maggie was softer, lines around her eyes and a hoarse voice. She had talked for hours at my side, Beth smiled to remember the gentle stories and anecdotes Maggie tried. None of them had worked then, but she thought of them now, appreciated the memories of her sister in a world she could comprehend. Why couldn't she have seen all those stories?

But another dead person was at the door, Andrea came in. rested and cocky like Beth forgot she had ever been. And then she knew what was coming. **Maggie don't leave, don't let her let me. **Panic was rising in her chest, but small pleas fell on deaf ears. She was left to watch with horror the small exchange between herself and Andrea. She was torn. She knew now that choice was needed, it was something she had to do. But she wouldn't watch her family's faces again, not this time. She just had to stop herself.

Beth slipped into the bathroom behind herself, watched the small key turn in the lock. She tried to turn it back frantically but her hands suddenly took on that ghost element of translucence going straight through the air like there wasn't anything in her way at all. It was like torture to watch herself break the mirror and for a maddening moment she was Maggie, and she understood what she put her sister through. Them all through. She sobbed, tears slipping down her face, identical to the ones of her doppelganger holding up the sharp shard.

Noises, weren't there supposed to be noises. What was this sickly silence? Maggie was supposed to be here, Lori too, banging on the door and yelling so the plagued voices got tighter and tighter. She saw the sharp glass cut into her wrist. And then she felt it, and old Beth disappeared, or she was old Beth. The pain sliced and she pulled it out throwing it down with hysterical sobs.

''I'm so sorry.''

But blood was trickling through her hand, hot and sticky in a scar that would remind her for life what a coward she'd been. **Maggie told you how sad mama would be. **Where were they? Her thoughts were getting faster, reaching to the speed of incoherence. Instead a jumble of words hit her in the temple.

Die. Maggie. Mama. Knife. Prison. Key. Daryl. Baby. Necklace.

Bloodied hands held tighter, putting pressure on the wound. The biting sting was dulling to a pointed ache. But her head was dizzy, and small black spots flittered across her vision. Red blood. And then the floor hit her, and she ached all over, aware of every acute pain within her. But it didn't matter, the stinging pain was something she wanted, because she wanted life. Someone must have heard her fall, they'd break in at any moment now. But no one came, and she was all alone. Her eyes shut warily, feeling it all shutting down, and some inexplicable knowledge told her it was too late. She was gone.

Maybe God would forgive her, and she'd see mama again. The room went black.

And all the ache alleviated from her body, no pain was present. Just hunger. Just strong insatiable hunger. The need to move, the need to find food. **Weren't even smart enough to shoot yourself in the head. **Her limbs moved jerkily, unwanting and protesting to be animated in a sick imitation of herself. Her blood had congealed black and oozing thick, her skin marbled with sickly marbling, eyes yellow and hungry. She wasn't herself anymore, she was just another walker. And she wanted food.

Her nails scratched at the door, searching for release from this prison, where there was no warm flesh for her to eat. None at all.

And the door swung open. The clean, bright room was so different form that bloodied holding room, and she could smell meat- and it sickened her. She edged out, unsure on dead legs. Certain on her own dead repulsiveness. But there was no pain, only hunger. And Maggie was there, and Lori, and her father, and Daryl and Judith. And they all smiled at her, talking about things long past unimportant. They couldn't help her now, Beth greened wasn't their little girl.

She blinked in horror, realising what she had become. And the clean room she stepped into as a walker was bloodies, empty bodies on the floor of all those she loved. And she wanted to scream and cry. She could tear her own hair out and yell until the house fell down around her. But she was a walker, and walkers don't care. Beth wanted to be sick that her cold dead hands were warm and stiff with drying blood. She needed to mourn over the faces of her family that she had killed and eaten.

'I want to die as myself, not gutted.' That's what she had told Maggie, and what had it done for her? Brought her back to kill anyway.

She couldn't stop the shuffling walking to the next prey, nothing in her denying the soft crying noises of a child. **No, Judith no. stop it stop it.** Her hand reached and picked up the soft child in a subverted embrace.

Her screams were heavy on his ears, loud and wracking out in frantic sobs. He shook her, sitting her up and patting her back. She knew she was awake, and could rationalise it was simply a dream, but it didn't matter. She had done that. Her screams turned simply to cries, holding on to Daryl like he was an anchor. He patted her back, pulling her across his lap and muttered soft things to her.

The noise brought down Michonne and Maggie wide eyed and fearful. The others followed in no less time. Daryl was holding Beth to him, his eyes were wide with an emotion so rare to see on a Dixon's face- fear. He was terrified, and Beth simply cried and wailed like she was in pain. There was no sign of walkers, or danger. And it wasn't Daryl, you could see so from his lost expression. He simply just rocked her. The noise of her cries made them all feel sick. And for the first time in forever they all remembered what hardship their world had become, and how painful the losses were.

Beth sobs grew quieter, unaware they were all just watching her. She disentangled herself gracelessly from Daryl, still sobbing pulling herself blindly to where Judith was crying from the commotion in her crib. Beth pulled her out, shakily as if not trusting herself and help the baby tightly.

''I'm sorry –Jude- oh Judy'' they all shared a look, and then another when they heard it. ''Oh Lori-''

The pain of losing someone never leaves you. Its human nature to grieve and it comes naturally to us all. But humans aren't made to see so many of their loved ones die, nor to live with their reanimated bodies afterwards in some sick game where they have to hurt them all over again. And the image won't leave you. It will stay inside in that bit of your brain that you try to push deep, deep down. Because you're alive, and they're not. And how are you supposed to live without them?

**Wow, so this got a tad dark. I'd love to hear your opinions. **


	24. Chapter 24

**I feel like I'm on a right little spree today! This is like the third one- phew! This is a bit OTT drama…meh, it's a pick depressing and slow. However, it is a topic that's in away very prominent for some of my own memories and so that may feed into why it's a bit ranty, also I like my psychological-esque chapters xxx**

Everyone watched Beth cry herself to calmness. Maggie had an arm around her sister, but all Beth cared about was staring at sleeping Judith's chest rising and falling. Nightmares weren't uncommon. In fact in zombie land they're practically an alarm clock set by your inner subconscious. But this had shaken Beth, worse than that, it had shaken the whole group.

''What happened?'' Michonne, surprisingly for her usually quietness, was the first to ask. Daryl had gone into some form of catatonic state where he simply stared ahead at Beth, eyes glazed slightly. So he wasn't going to ask, she had to feel sorry for the man. Beth was hysterical and he didn't know how to calm her, there probably was no way and now he was taking out on himself. Slagging himself off in his head because he thought he deserved it. And as much of a dick that would make him act for the next week or so, she was sorry but Beth came first.

Beth looked up with red eyes, her eyelashes stuck together. She swallowed a few times and an unusual sheen of wetness enveloped her eyes again before she finally spoke.

''I killed Judy, I- I ate her-'' her voice was shaky but repulsed, she looked back to the baby to check she hadn't done anything. Everyone's faced pulled the same tragic expression, and no more explanation was needed. Dreams like that were better not talked out. As long as she could tell it was a dream, it shouldn't be so bad. But that haunting guilt probably would stay for a few weeks. Between her and Daryl it was going to be a right barrel of laughs.

''But Beth, you didn't- you didn't hurt any of us.'' Maggie's voice was higher than normal, she rubbed her sister's arm but Beth jumped as if it were burning her. She turned her large blue eyes to Maggie with that same haunted expression.

''But I almost did.'' Her voice was meek and small, entire face twisted to a beautiful look of tortured pain.

''Beth, what do you mean?'' Tyreese's voice seemed deeper in comparison to the highness of Maggie's and Beth. When she didn't answer but only looked down at her lap again, he knew it was going to have to be pushed a little bit. ''Beth, you need to tell us.'' These things can eat you up inside.

''I tried to kill myself.'' Her voice was quiet, but I may have been on loud speaker. They all reacted in shocked confusion, after all only Maggie, Glenn and Daryl had any recollection of Beth doing that. Somewhere along moving it became a taboo subject.

''Back at the farm. I slit my wrist, and then I would've come back. I could have killed you.'' She offered an explanation, but focused on the eyes of Maggie, knowing she was the one she had put in any danger. Her and Lori and Andrea. Only one left.

Kenneth looked at Beth, her frail body and soft nature. Then he thought about her doing that, having the strength, it seemed implausible for someone so nurturing and smiley. Sasha and Tyresse were in the same boat. There had always been this air of looking after Beth in the prison, more so than with the others. Both had assumed it was due to her young age and appearance of naivety, but the truth must have been a darker story of being seen as mentally unstable. Was that why they treated her like a child who needed to be checked on, even though she was inside with the baby? They thought she was crazy. But there's nothing so insane about this world taking over rational thought, they didn't begrudge her wanting out.

Glenn swallowed, it was a touchy subject that much he knew. It was just as it all started to collapse. His mind replayed Beth's undead mother grabbing for her long blonde pigtails so that's he could eat her. The look on Beth's face when they pulled them off and impaled the body of her mother before her. That would make anyone want to die. But he'd had to be on Maggie's side, agreeing it was stupid and rash. Herschel never treated Beth the same after, but having not spent that long around the family beforehand, it was easily forgotten and slipped into the back of his mind.

Michonne stared, eyes bulging for the first time shocked in a long time. She hadn't known, there was no inkling in Beth at all. She thought of her husband, how he had said he wanted out, wanted to die as himself. That was probably why Beth had wanted it, but she didn't want it now. And these dark choices of the past had made her stronger, helped her adjust and get into the mind frame that kept her alive now.

Beth was held tighter by Maggie, who started crying in softer sobs, clinging onto Beth. She hated these memories, hated them. The thought of her baby little sister, Beth, the one who only ever sang and smiled, with tears in her eyes and blood spurting out her wrist. It hit her as hard now as it had when Lori found her and told her about the knife, and she hadn't been more scared since. She couldn't and wouldn't ever understand why that choice had been made, even if it gave Beth the knowledge that she wanted to live. Her gut tightened anytime she saw the jagged white scar, seeing only her daddy's face as he stitched it up. It helped if she told herself Beth was ill. As horrible as that sounded those days at the farm where she lay catatonic or wouldn't eat or harmed herself- they weren't Beth. It was illness, it was simply illness.

It seemed only confessions of suicide brought Daryl out of his stupor. He looked up at her as if he was seeing her in a different light for the first time. Then he got up and walked out the room. Beth's eyed widened, when the back door slammed closed there was no one quick enough to catch her following. Except Michonne, who wasn't going to stop her, and simply took the baby that was thrust at her.

The room fell into awkward silence, Glenn moved to collapse on the sofa. In the back of his mind he realised Daryl and Beth had been in the same pink blanket, and she had woken up here too. Beth was sleeping, in hopefully only the literal sense, with Daryl, wasn't that …wrong? Weird? Not to mention why he flipped out and left, and then she followed. Didn't even put her shoes on. He wondered if he was the only one to notice. He'd bring it up later, but Maggie had enough on her mind concerning her little sister without the added dimension of sharing the quilts of a redneck twice her age.

''How are you holding up?'' Sasha moved and sat next to Maggie, who was rubbing her eyes and sighing. It took a lot to get her to cry, but it was understandable Beth would be a weak spot.

''Fine- I mean its Beth that's got to deal with this-'' Maggie tried to shrug off the question, as if images weren't sewed under her eyelids. Blink, Hershel's face. Blink, blood covered Beth. Blink, losing Beth.

''You were there too. Besides she's right, she could have been a real danger.'' Sasha's voice was using that calming tone people did when someone died. And for some reason it made Maggie angry, she stood up. Refusing to be weak, or accepting that Beth could be either.

''She didn't know, about the head thing.'' But what was the use defending action. No one would understand what it had put the all through, the hell it had been. She had just lost her mother, and then her brother, and for some reason losing Beth went a step too far. There were obvious thoughts on Maggie's face, she was readable like a book. She looked like she might physically throw up at the thought of something.

''What is it?'' Glenn got up, still limping but forced her to look at him. Maggie's eyes were pouring tears but she made no move to wipe them away, so he did it for her. The rough pad of his thumb seemed to take some of the feral look on her face.

''She asked me to do it with her. Said it would be easier if we died, helping one another along. It was sick- but- sometimes I wonder if, if she was right then-'' Maggie's voice went quiet, and the room just stared. It crosses everyone's mind at some point, opting out. The far-too-long repressed memory was it for aggie, she was done. Shuddering tears and loud cries, allowed Glenn to give an awkward smile before pulling her back upstairs to bed, where they would cuddle and talk it out.

Beth was shoeless, but so was Daryl. However Daryl had better reflexes and a sixth sense that could probably make it easy to kill a walker in the pitch black with no weapon. She wasn't so sure of her own abilities however. But that wasn't going to stop her. He had to turn around and get to her. As angry as he was her out here yelling his name was going to get her killed.

He knew that she had tried. From gossip on the farm, but he hadn't given a fucking damn, because she was just some spoilt kid who was a coward. That's what he had tough t of her. She had almost died, and he had given no reaction. If anything he scoffed at her. This was the first problem in Daryl head. He had been a heartless careless bastard, and he could have lost it all, but would have never known. He couldn't imagine a world worth living without Beth now, she was all he really had to fight for. Not even in the apocalypse, she was his only reason ever.

The second thing was, to be honest, she had spooked him. Ever since the first nightmare, where she screamed her little heart out, he had never had to hear that noise again. Only this time it was worse, because he knew she was awake but the thoughts still plagued her. He was powerless to saving her from herself. Nothing he did made a difference if she wasn't thinking straight.

Lastly the thought of Beth doing that killed him. In his awful childhood depression and anger issues were totally justified, and he would admit to bouts of them. Only once had he considered topping himself, but Daryl was brought up with keen survival instincts, it was in him to thrive and survive. But it didn't mean it didn't hurt less, the time he considered it was the most painful in his life. He couldn't imagine Beth having to endure that, she was so small, so young.

His hand pushed over her mouth to stop the next yell, she struggled but when she realised it was him she stopped. All his thoughts dissipated, he just wanted to get her to safety. He pulled her back to the house, sitting on the porch with her, back against the wood. They could talk here without the fear of attack. The light from the kitchen gave a look at her face, the crying had made her puffy and bleary eyed, but the thought of losing her was too strong to see her as anything but beautiful.

He took her hand, they were both shaking, and she squeezed back. It was clear Daryl was angry at her, maybe not her, but her past self. And himself too for some twisted reason he probably created because he can't see how great he is. They simply sat for a while, until Daryl whispered out one thing.

''I can't protect you from this.'' And it was as simple as that. He was scared of losing her, and he didn't want to face the idea of sitting at the side lines as she destroyed herself. Didn't he see that she wouldn't do that to him? Beth sighed, knowing there was nothing to do or say, she had to prove to him- maybe forever- that that choice wasn't going to be repeated.

''The craziest thing, or maybe the most sick, is I can't tell you I'm sorry.'' Beth's voice was small and the fluctuation of emotions had knackered them all out. She looked at Daryl whose eyebrows scrunched closer together, he was still shaking with a mix of emotions. So Beth looked at the forest instead, sharing an honest thought with him, hoping he understood that this was simply for his ears.

''I'm sorry for the pain I caused Maggie, and you, and- and my father. But without it-'' she sighed again. ''-I wouldn't last two minutes now. I needed to know I wanted to live, I know that now.'' She looked at him. And his shoulders drooped little from their aggressive mode, which was as good as signalling that he understood. But she would never know the fear he felt at the idea of part of her being unreachable, and a part of him being an insensitive bastard.

He took her hand and lifted it up, the light casting a shadow on the white raised line, he put his lips to it and kissed.

**Ok, that was- wow- yeah so depressing. I definitely need to make the next chapter happier. xxx**


	25. Chapter 25

**_Hey guys, I loved last night's episode so much! I won't do spoilers though, you're welcome. So the next instalment! Once again, thank you to my favouritors, followers and reviewers- you make me feel all fuzzy inside xxx_**

Beth and Daryl sat and just stared at the empty forest for a while, happily ignoring the gravity of life and conflict for a final few moments. Neither really wanted to go inside, but he was paranoid of her safety. Those shorts gave the undead easy access to soft sweet flesh, and would give easier access to any living man.

Upon their re-entrance Beth instantly realised her sister, and subsequently Glenn, we no longer around. A twist of guilt sat in her gut, if only she could have kept quiet about it all. But Beth had never been too good at holding her emotions back, particularly when they began to escalate to serious matters as this. The whole apocalypse she had felt trapped on an endless rollercoaster of emotions, and frankly she wished she could get off, but that was doubtable and trivial. And she wasn't riding this thing alone.

The rest of the group were sitting down, Sasha moved across to leave room for the two of them. Beth smiled shyly, carefully settling down next to Daryl so that they weren't touching. The silence was awkward, cuttable with any sharp implement. Her chest felt tight still, but her eyes were try to drained of emotion to be bothered to show it any more.

''I'm sorry,'' somehow Beth could see this is as simply her failure. Had she been able to do this alone, or she could truly regret her past actions, then perhaps everyone else's faces wouldn't be so scared and hurt.

''Don't be.'' Kenneth spoke up, he looked at her sternly. She was not taking the blame for thoughts they all had. Beth blushed and leant back, swallowing heavily. That was part of her appeal, the fact that eye contact could stop her thoughts with unassuming attention. This world had destroyed her and pieced her back together, but instead of that making her unattainably lost it gave her this innocent quality of honest existence.

Michonne looked across at Daryl, he looked exhausted. His arms were folded, keeping the world at bay because it was too painful for him. Sometimes he comes across as uncaring, rather than the truth. He cared too much. It hindered him, made him weaker and stronger at once. That was no more true that with Beth. He caught her eyes, knowing she was looking. Nothing more than a quirked eyebrow and glance at Beth, who was trying to disappear in to herself, was needed. His arms slipped around her, pulling her close, her head against his shoulder.

Seemingly it was shock that made her malleable, but she was never opposed to the reassuring strength of his arms. Daryl didn't normally do public affection, but she wasn't going to shy away if he instigated. It was past the point of pretending with these three, they all knew anyway. And Michonne was right with that look, he needed to know she was solid and she did him too. No one else was surprised at the development of their relationship, mostly knowing Beth had been down here two nights and being able to read through the lines of their relationship. If you knew they were a thing it was pretty easy to see. Besides there was something reassuring as having them together, as if their clumsy attempts to do this was the greatest beacon of hope the rest of them had.

They all sat in united silence, the pink sky expanding and lighting up the sky gradually as they sat. When Beth moved, her muscles protested become stiff and each step was a dull ache.

''We should all have breakfast and plan out what we want to do today.'' The simplicity of her sentence was enough for the bleary eyed others to stretch and start preparing themselves for the room transition on equally aching and tired limbs.

Beth made it up the stairs quietly, moving to the door to knock, she didn't want any shocks by walking in. just before her knuckles touched the painted wood did she hear the conversation. She stopped her hand and feeling like an awful person she listened in.

''we aren't safe are we? Please don't lie, Glenn. I don't want to die, but how long until the next attack? I can't lose any more family- and Beth, she's so young, and she's so weak. She has fire- ok, I agree with you on that. But we all know the reason she's here is Michonne and Daryl right? What happens if she's alone? And, and if I lose her. I'm the only one left. We're all going to die.''

Glenn was muttering complacent things, making Beth think this wasn't the first outburst like this. She felt dirty for having heard it. And frankly she was hurt that Maggie couldn't see that she was just as strong as she could be, she had gotten this far. Sure she needed help, but who didn't? Even Daryl, warrior king of the apocalypse, needed help sometimes too. She wished Maggie saw her as an adult, and understood that talking of before made her regress to a child in Maggie's eyes. She probably always would be to her.

Softly knocking, Beth opened the door and stepped in as if it were a fluid movement. Maggie looked up, wet eyes that she hoped her sister wouldn't see and smiled. Glenn did a less fluid job of changing emotions, but they both ignored him.

''Bethy, you scared me, you're so quiet.'' Maggie smiled, upon seeing her sister all thoughts and doubts that plagued her disappeared.

''Must have picked it up somewhere, anyway, we're having breakfast'' It wasn't malicious, Beth laughed quietly and beamed a smile. She had picked up a few Daryl-esque habits as of late. Had Maggie been looking she would've seen that it was forced, but she wanted to believe Beth hadn't heard anything so she took the sunshine warmth of past memories.

Cereal bars and fruit are basically a full English breakfast. Bacon was something however Beth missed, which surprised her since she had been a vegetarian in the last world. That soon changed though, and she thinks if she were back at the farm now she wouldn't be. Food was food, and zombie land teaches you to be less picky about all that.

Beth sighed lightly, still reeling from the comments of Maggie. They were all going to die, but thinking that way made no difference at all did it? Stepping over to hand out the last bowl, Beth managed to slip on spilt juice, trying to clutch the counter she failed. Swearing loudly. Strong arms

''Didn't know you had such a sailor's mouth.''

''Yeah, seemed I picked it up somewhere.'' She smiled back, at everyone snickering, conscious that was the second time today the Daryl habits had been noticed. Daryl for his part respectively let go of her, helping her to get a cloth and wiping the floor. On the way back up she felt his warm breath on her neck.

''Whatever's on your mind we can talk about tonight.''

Perhaps it meant more because it was Daryl, and Daryl hated having to comfort others. But the fact that he would offer her that intimacy made the feeling in her gut change a little.

Meanwhile Maggie and Glenn were sat near the SUV, it was the last ditch attempt to try and start it up, besides it gave him time with Maggie. Being alone for weeks just the two of them made it harder to be incorporated in a group, particularly one that was already up and working before they arrived. Even as a sister, Maggie felt slightly out-casted, but she knew it wasn't intentional. They had just missed too much. It was this dependence on a person you spend a lot of time surviving with that made Maggie ponder her little sister and the younger Dixon.

''Hey Glenn, what do you thinks with Beth and Daryl.'' Maggie slumped against the car, knife still in her hands and looking across the area. Her voice was unrestrained and curious, like a child might be. ''I mean they're close, you realised that right, like they know what the others thinking.''

''They spent weeks mourning together,'' Glenn tried to shrug off the feeling of lying by not mentioning his own thought, hoping she would be satisfied with a generic man answer. But it was Maggie, of course she didn't see it that way.

''Yeah, I know but- there's something different between them. Like, have you ever seen Daryl really care about anyone like that since that lil' girl on the farm? Maybe carol. He tends to like people from far away-wait, what aren't you telling me?'' Maggie was talking with her hands, trying to work out some unsolvable problem in her head, when she caught Glenn's face however she stopped.

''Telling you? what there's nothing-'' he looked up to Maggie's face giving him a look, and then he remembered how bad he was at keeping secrets or his face neutral. ''Ok, so, I don't think it's anything at all, but- I think Beth's been sleeping with Daryl. Oh fuck, no not like that- like she sleeps downstairs.'' Maggie had flinched in a sudden outrage like a switch was flipped, and it scared him a nit, a lot actually, that she could fire up and down so quickly.

Maggie took some deep breathes, glaring at Glenn slightly for the uncalled for heart attack. She remembered Michonne saying something about them being friends, said they were close. Maybe she hadn't taken that seriously at all, but now it seemed obvious. They spent a lot of time together, he actually had conversations with her, something that never happened inside the prison. But the prison was so long ago it was hard to remember if they ever talked then, even if they had Maggie wouldn't have known. She thought of every time she had seen them together since instead.

''She woke up from the nightmare down there.'' Maggie's voice was one of something clicking into place, blatant aggravation she had missed it. For the first time she contemplated how she came into the living room last night. Too pumped up on adrenaline to notice Beth was straddling Daryl and he was **holding** her, tenderly, like he wanted to. Thinking back it got uncomfortable, thinking that somehow her baby sister could get through the cracks in a much damaged man like that. And she trusted Beth's intentions to be honest and innocent, as well as Daryl, but that sisterly nagging refused to give him complete trust.

''Look Mags, think about it this way- they both lost a pretty dominant older sibling for a long time, they're both the quiet type, love Judith like she was their own and provide what the other doesn't. Is it surprising they make good friends?'' Glenn stopped tinkering to take a water bottle and shrug at Maggie, who nodded slowly to everything he said.

It was true despite their vast differences, the core of them was similar. She wouldn't want to encounter a fight with either of them, after all Beth could hold her own when she wanted to. The Greene stubbornness explained a lot of things, why Beth had got off the bus at the prison and how she got through to a redneck recluse. Maybe that's all they were replacement siblings and an understanding friends. That could be a thing, right?

Her thoughts however were interrupted by the sounds of walkers. The low rumble started in the background, probably slightly missed by their conversation. All the hairs on Maggie's body stood on end, and seeing her freeze Glenn did too. The groaning got louder, the level of noise making them know it wasn't a few. Hastily and quietly trying to pack up, was the wrong decision. By the time they had the tool box closed, beside a few rudimentary impromptu weapons, the first walkers stumbled out the tree line.

More than a few had been expected, but this was more than a more than a few. Maggie's eyes bulged at the sheer uncountable numbers of an undead army. For perhaps the first time she contemplated how many people had lost their lives and succumbed to this fate. Would that be her? The panic was ripped from her as Glenn grabbed her hand and started legging it back. It was too late and too dangerous to attempt picking them off. They threw down the bags and ran, Glenn was slower than his usual swiftness, but adrenaline did wonders.

When they saw the house they started yelling to get inside, Tyresse, Sasha and Kenneth were all outside putting up wire defence systems, but it was going to be futile to this number. Not missing a beat, the three of them got into the building. Glenn heard distinct foot prints behind him, fearing it was a quick walker he turned to face Daryl.

Daryl had obviously run further, getting caught up in the herd too whilst hunting. Sweat glistened on his face, he span mid step and hurled the squirrels at the nearest walkers. They slowed to take the fresh food, making the next ones about twenty metres behind. Then he kept pace, quicker on his feet than definitely Glenn, but remaining at the back to shoot any getting too close.

Like a sixth sense they caught Michonne slipping into the house and followed her in, quickly slamming the door and locking it behind them. The breath of relief that they had everyone accounted for in the kitchen was short lived. Everyone in that moment looked the same. Scared shitless expression of panic and fear, eyes wide and mouth apart to keep up with rapid breathing.

The banging against the door hit like a wave, Daryl leant against it, sitting and using his legs for leverage. The glass panels smashed, glass raining down on him and mangled arms reaching through the spaces to grasp at anything.

''It ain't gonna hold, get upstairs.'' His voice was strained, speaking through gritted teeth. The noise riled the walkers more, making them push harder. And he knew it was going to be over. His eyes met Beth's, she was holding Judith close to her chest. She wanted to cry, but that would have to wait.

''Daryl-'' it could've been anyone, it dint matter the answer was the same.

''Now.'' The authoritative confidence made them bide his instructions.

They all turned and ran upstairs dispersing simply to hide themselves away. Panic made them split up. Michonne stayed down with Daryl, katana ready to give minimal cover, he nodded at the silent formation of a plan. Steeling himself he propped up, leapt up and ran. Michonne took down the first few, the bodies creating obstacles that bought them precious seconds.

And with that hundreds of walkers flooded their home.

This could be goodbye

**_Wow, so this got scary quite fast. xxx_**


	26. Chapter 26

**_I need to update my other story, but I'm so into this one atm! I'm sorry but I will try to stop updating this too much, haha…..*nervous laughter*, this will most likely develop into a sad chapter- it's bound to. _**

Maggie and Glenn were barricaded in the back bedroom, door shut and together they moved the wardrobe and bed against the back of it. If the walkers got in it was due to exceptional circumstances. The mockery of Scooby-doo ran childishly through Maggie's head, wishing it could all be masked men instead. But it wasn't, and thinking they were the living in guise wouldn't protect her. She looked desperately at Glenn, they were both holding onto strings. It was too soon to lose another group. Far, far too soon.

Maggie wanted to cry, have a tantrum and go to bed. She'd sleep it off and there'd be no need to be this afraid ever again. Glenn was shifting the crowbar in his hands, reluctant to put it down or rest at all. But there was nothing they could do. Not yet, not until the walkers stopped hammering on the doors and some of them moved somewhere else. But they had seen them, the hammering was perpetual, one walker might forget why they hit a door, but other walkers copy and repeat. This could go on for days. They could smell them too, the entire house reeked of being clean.

Beth ran up the stairs, being pushed first with everyone, the steps jolting Judith with each step. But the child simply stared blankly in subconscious knowledge they were in danger and she shouldn't cry. Beth headed straight for the first room she could, Sasha and Kenneth slipping in behind her. The yells from downstairs made them shut the door. Beth saw a last glimpse of Maggie and Glenn throwing the other bedroom door shut. She let out a breath knowing they had a door between them and the walkers, but still how well could wood hold.

They all looked at each other, unsheathing their weapons from their belts. Beth's small knife felt sickeningly familiar. Sweaty, scared faces looked at one another. All thinking the same thing, but trying not to. This could be the last time. Kenneth felt a strange desire to kiss all three ladies on their cheeks and thank them for the comfort they provided. He was long past losing family, but somehow back to being close to it.

Now that the mangled arms and snarling dead people weren't around Judith let out a small moan, the others turned to look in horror. Beth bounced Judith on her hip, trying to plaster on a smile so that she wouldn't go into full cries. But babies can tell when there's tension and small sobs and tears starting rolling down her eyes. The moaning got louder, and babies' cries were bread crumbs to the candy house.

Tyresse ran to the door adjacent to the top of the stairs, it was the bathroom. He had vague memories of nearly hitting Beth and Daryl with his sister on the first night here. It had seemed so normal, so safe. He held the door open for the loud noises of running Daryl and Michonne who ran in, letting him slam the door behind them and locking it.

Wide eyes looked at each other. They needed a plan. The obvious plan was to barricade the door, he hoped the others had thought of that, but they were in a bathroom and everything was fixed. The loud trembling moans of the undead, beat at the door. The stronger ones would manage the stairs quickest. This was the window of opportunity before the numbers got too great. And then the noise of Judith cut through the noise of walkers. And it was too late to do anything.

Walkers began to beat on the door, Beth was shushing and holding Judith hoping it would calm her, her own tears forming in frustration. Sasha tried pushing the heavy chest in front of the door, hoping to barricade themselves in. But the added scraping noise made it impossible to move, even with the help of Kenneth, before the wood slinters around the handle and walkers spilled into the room.

The cries and the subsequent bangs and screams let them know someone's room had gotten broken into. Michonne took a towel and smashed the window with a strong fist, pushing the shard out. Daryl looked at her in pure admiration. That woman could be a fucking genius. It was tight squeeze, particularly for Tyresse, but all three of them managed to slide out into the porch roof.

As the walkers flooded in Kenneth and Sasha stepped back, taking them out where possible but the sheer number was impossible. Beth looked to the door of the en-suite, taking out a stray walker and forcing the door open. She had no choice but to yell loud enough for them to back into it. Kenneth got there first taking Judith to leave Beth to close the door behind Sasha when she got it. Few stabs to the head were needed. One particularly disturbing walker with straggly blonde hair and tight jeans appeared, and Beth didn't restrain her stabbing. The walker dropped after the knife in her eye, to expose the scene behind. And Beth wanted to scream and cry as Sasha's neck was bitten into.

Not missing a beat, because she couldn't afford to Beth grabbed the handle and pulled the door shut. Kenneth understood the action with grim pessimism. Sasha was gone. Hands grabbed the pained wood and Beth was able to stab them when they tried to peak in. her fingers were burning and adrenaline was saying they might not make it. Then Kenneth saw Daryl, Michonne and Tyresse on the porch roof. Sneaky sons of bitches. He yelled out to Beth, whose face was red with effort.

''Kenneth, take Judith'' Beth was wrestling the door shut, few fingers still curling round the door. She knew he could definitely get out. Whether or not she could slip through the window before her friends here joined her was another matter.

''No- Beth'' Kenneth wanted to have a reason not to, but there was none. Perhaps, you deserve to live more than I do, but he was too scared of dying to say that.

''I'll follow, just go.'' It was a lie. It came out through gritted teeth, and in that moment she had the strength and authority of Daryl Dixon. When she heard the glass smash and few muttering swears of cuts on sharp glass, Beth permitted herself a look around. She was all alone. So she stopped holding the door open.

Daryl and Michonne, quickly checked the other windows the porch roof lead to, only managing to find Maggie and Glenn. The noises of yelling and baby cries made them all stop a moment, eyes wide, knowing the reason the walkers weren't so hard after them was because they were occupied elsewhere. You only yelled when it was last resort.

The problem with this window was that he could see the porch, but it ended before them. Sliding out he managed to lower himself to get his boots onto the narrow wooden edging of the room below. Judith was zipped into his jacket, and he pressed her gently against the brick of the house to keep her safe and stop her slipping down. His fingers grasped the window ledge above them, trying to calculate the next move.

Luckily for him and Judith their situation wasn't dire for long. Due to the positioning of the porch, Michonne saw him hanging there as they helped Maggie and Glenn out the window to join them on the porch. With the alert raised, one floor was easier to get down from.

Tyresse and Glenn took a word and something from Daryl and jumped down the roof, running into the woods. From the view pint, Kenneth could see the swarming walkers, the ones outside hadn't really noticed anything happening above their heads and so moaned aimlessly. Michonne managed to clear enough space for Daryl and Maggie to make a catching platform with their arms behind him. This was possibly the most dangerous thing he had done. Putting his faith and total trust into these two he let himself fall back. For a moment he flying and he was going to die, he was sure of it. Both Maggie and Daryl grunted loudly as they bended at the knee to slow the impact, the weight strained their arms and the grunts made a few more walkers stumble over making Michonne have to move double time.

Noticing for the first time Kenneth had a disgruntled and disorientated Judith, Maggie swallowed looking up at the bathroom window where all she saw were the movements of walkers. Michonne pulled her arm, and she realised they were running the opposite way to which Tyresse and Glenn had. Picking off the walkers that followed, the four of them and Judith simply ran like rats leaving a ship, because there was nothing else to do. Their legs burned but the majority of the walkers were milling around the house, distracted sickeningly by anything alive or freshly dead.

The shambling walkers broke into the bathroom. Small, frail Beth Greene stopped gagging on the sight on the black congealed blood all over her, taking them down with awkward efficiency. Her arms ached, but adrenaline still coursed, until that was gone she would fight. The bodies of the other walkers managed to slow the flow down, not to mention the smell of death masking her location and the small room making her invisible to the vast majority. Sometime, maybe a minute, maybe more, Kenneth's fingers had disappeared form the sill and so she hoped that meant her baby was safe.

They had lost Sasha, stab. Tyresse was going to be pissed, stab. Judith was gone, stab. She was alive though, stab. She wouldn't remember Beth, stab. Her daddy would be proud, stab.

Beth felt the cool pane of glass against her back, she jumped at the touch before realising she was backed against the shower, littered bodies around her feet. And then in the far, far distance there was a loud beeping sound, thinking her ears had given in, she suddenly realised with a pang it was a car alarm. It wouldn't be loud enough to get the attention of all the walkers, maybe some outside but the ones indoors would keep looking for a meal. And then there was a bang that shook her, and then another walkers came crawling across its brethren's body toward her.

Daryl stopped running when he heard the bang, he hadn't expected it to be so loud and he doubted his entire plan. Tyresse and Glenn had run off with his lighter and a vague idea of what they were going to do, blow up the SUV send the walkers that way. Now he was doubting they got far enough away without getting singed. He took in numbers, already knowing they hadn't got Beth or Sasha.

''Where were the others? Trapped in another room?'' He asked desperately, already knowing the answer from Kenneth's face, he looked twice his age. The ragged answer wouldn't even come, the man just shook his head, settling down on the ground and holding on the child. The walkers had stopped their chase and they were all alone again.

Maggie jumped at the sound Daryl made, already lost in her own grief for her sister the noise of total desperate despair shook her. She realised with horror Daryl was crying, picking up his cross bow and setting to head back.

''Daryl, stop there's nothing we can do-'' Michonne held onto his arm, he shrugged her off aggressively, continuing to walk briskly.

''No, no- we don't abandon our own. I won't them- be one of those things, and I sure as fuck won't let them get ea-'' his voice reached a high, tears still going. He had to do this, it already felt like he died

''the old school should be this way, find the road and you know where.'' Michonne gave him a nod, her instructions clear and the plan in place. He wouldn't rest until he saw her mangled body, no matter how much it would fuck him up.

''Sasha was bitten, Beth was trapped in the en-suite, the door was open.'' Kenneth took a page out of Michonne's book managing to hold himself together somehow, keeping his voice clear but trying to avoid giving him too much hope.

Daryl felt disgusted at his selfishness for feeling relieved Beth was possibly alive, even if on the back of it they had lost another. He nodded and stalked off, the small steps of Maggie joined him. He looked at her red face of steel, anger was a good way to deal with this. Anger got results, crying and breaking down they'd do for after they found her. And they would find her.

His heart stopped when he clambered over the bodies, taking out the remaining walkers swiftly. The majority of those who hadn't migrated to the loud banging noise and roaring fire sounds, were crowded around a bloodied body. He swallowed feeling sick, the outstretched hand of dark skin told him all he needed to know. He took out the feasting beats, face of untold anguish.

Beside him Maggie gasped, holding back a noise of utter disgust, and he agreed. There are something's even zombie land can't prepare you for.

The sheer number of walkers taken down in the bathroom was impressive for a last ditch attempt at trying to live. Was this all Beth or had Kenneth and Sasha helped here too? There was a small frame splattered with blood and blonde hair long and curly, she faced the ground, legs trapped under the bodies of dead walkers. And everything was broken, everything told him she was gone.

**_So, I'm sorry to say that I really don't feel I did justice her, I don't find action chapters easy to write. The danger isn't over yet though guys…_**


	27. Chapter 27

_**So I was super happy to write this chapter- I hope you don't hate me too much though, it will be easy to by the end…..D: xxxx the reviews blew me away guys! Thank you **_

His heart felt like a walker had ripped into his chest, and pulled it out to munch on. And strangely, for the first time since merle, he didn't feel like being angry. He didn't have it in him to scream and break walker's faces, he was too exhausted. He wanted to cry and do nothing contrastingly at the same time, needing to mourn her but not knowing how to give in to that beautiful sadness of having known her and sharp pain that she had left him alone in this world. She was gone. Gone, it didn't make sense.

The room flew in and out of his vision. He could hear Maggie's loud undignified sobs beside him, intermingles with the noises of heaving as her stomach emptied onto the walker strewn floor. The pain blinded him in another wave, and he went back to all the thoughts from that darker side of his brain. Judith growing up orphaned. Merle as a walker. Michonne and the others turning on him. This was his fault. In the cross over between doors he saw the last standing walker banging against the blood smeared shower cubicle. If he had trained her better, made her stronger. If he hadn't brought them here or had stayed with her. It could be different. The wedding band necklace around the blonde neck stood out in glittering contrast to the floor.

Thinking back he could see her at the prison, light behind her making a halo- a thought hitting a bit too close to home right now- and her long neck shadowing her mama's necklace. Even back then he thought she was pretty, in a cute kiddish kind of way. But he'd take naïve, suicidal Beth over no Beth at all. Even if she did girly shit like twirl her hair and sing to the group, or come up to him and invade his space. No one had more disregard for his privacy than Beth. He'd miss that.

That first hug. If he had turned away then, he wouldn't care about her death. Selfish, but true. He wished he hadn't held her, hadn't spoken to her at all-hell, he wished she died at the prison so he could feel guilty and move on. Now that first hug would be in replay with her others every night. The soft curve of her body against his, hair dry but familiar and the sharp pain of a silver heart when she held him from behind head rested on his back. Silver heart- wedding bands.

He looked down. The jeans were dark and muddied on the body, and blonde curled hair matted with congealed blood. He moved down, tenderly holding the walker, turning the body slowly as to keep limbs attached and make space between the others. He could hear Maggie's screams and shouts as she pounded against his back for defiling her little sisters resting place. Maggie didn't want to see her soulless face. After all she had already mourned a faceless Beth twice before. The lone walker from the en suite left the shower, interested now in the loud noise of fresh, tasty Maggie.

The walker could have been Beth in another world. The same kind eyes, pert lips and general aura of maternal instinct about her. But she wasn't Beth, still the feeling in Daryl stomach didn't move. Maybe because it so easily could have been his Beth here, attacking some survivors and being stabbed like she was just another dead thing. Or perhaps it was because his Beth was still missing.

Maggie made a blubbering noise behind him as it hit her, the punches on his back turned to an over enthused hug that neither of them would admit to later. Removing himself quickly from the other Greene girl's arms, he stabbed the approaching walker in the head. It fell. The dark bathroom had light streaming in only on a square patch where the frosted glass had been kicked out for Kenneth and Ass kicker. There were definable boot prints on the door frame where Beth had obviously bought her baby a bit more time and then only succumbed to leave blood spatter on the ceiling. From here she couldn't have left, so taking a hunch and walker instructions he pulled bodies away from the door of the shower.

Beth's small curled up figure lay on the plastic white square of shower tray. Her blonde hair tied up and red, small face covered in god knows what but her chest rose and fell evenly. When he reached down to pick her up, she didn't flinch. There was no fight left in her, she merely succumbed to the fate. He watched her eyelids flutter slightly, pulling her up onto his knees so he could cradle her gently against him. It didn't matter that Maggie saw.

When Daryl was little his mama used to have a little collection of china animal antiquities she'd get from his pa after a bad beating or if he cheated with some hooker. Daryl wasn't allowed to touch them, but neither was Merle. His mama kept them wrapped up in tissue paper, always separate in case the day came his pa wanted her to hurt so bad he'd break them. And that day did come. When the cigarettes took her, his old man was more than pissed, he was devastated. And even after all that man had done, Daryl still felt compassion when he thought of the image of his father, rooting under sinks and in kitchen cupboards to smash little porcelain dogs and hummingbirds. Several years later, Daryl found a lost tissue papered blue jay, stuffed into an old brown case his mama had travelled from home to here with some twenty wasted years ago. The brilliant blue made him hold it in innocent wonder, feeling naughty like he might still be a child who shouldn't touch. But he remembered that feeling so vividly. And he felt it right now, with Beth in his arms.

Beth felt like a thousand tonnes of nothing. She was warm and alive in his arms. He stood up slowly trying not to jolt her. Daryl turned to face Maggie, her eyes zeroed in on Beth searching for injuries so doubt. Then a mad bark, somewhere between a cry and a laugh escaped her. Her hand flew to her face to cover her mouth, not concealing the wide crazed grin nor the tears. They shared a look and grinned together, leaving the small bathroom of horror.

Maggie scouted out first, taking down and strays that had wandered back in after the distraction or got stuck on some piece of furniture. She picked up the emergency packs, taking as much food as she could and shoving it in. replacing the pink blanket with tins she set it on the side. Daryl wanted to say something about not leaving it behind, but it felt weird to talk at this point. Especially about a piece of cloth after what they had just seen.

She shrugged the heavier of the bags on her back, moving to seamlessly let him put the other on too, taking his crossbow as he had her sister. Exchanging some sort of understanding between them. Maggie unfolded the blanket and tucked it around Beth in Daryl's arms.

''for the shock.'' Maggie's voice was broken, scratchy and hoarse having being pushed through every emotion today. There was something haunted in her eyes, a reluctant willingness to let this man have possession of her most precious belonging. Passing across the trust for him to save her and keep her safe. Only two Greene's were left. But hell there was only one Dixon to go.

Seeing it all fall apart was like watching the world all fall apart again but on a different channel. With each slow, quiet step they took, both of them thought how different the outbreak was for them. It was weird to think that they were exceptions to the rule and still living, as if the over-sheltered lives and non-sheltered lives were the only to escape the normal route of apocalypse. Most families would be happily at breakfast, maybe saying a prayer to some god that they'd soon grow to hate or turn their back on, then there would be a noise and a man covered in blood. They'd ask the man if he needed help and he would gurgle a painful moan, attacking the children, _**eating**_ them. And the family would be irrevocably torn apart, if they didn't all die. That's what had happened to them, their family was gone because they developed normalcy.

Margaret Greene was sat on the porch when she saw a sheriff running with a dead little boy in his arms when the apocalypse came true for her. Before that the isolation of the farm made it a near impenetrable fort, they kept their old family friends and Beth's boyfriend and his family close by. There were sick people, her mother and brother had been consumed by some yet unseen form of rabies. Because that's all it was a variation, a sickness and the government had a cure they just had to keep the ill from hurting themselves, from others. They didn't know what they were going. But they were dead, and it's surprising that the act of kindness outstretched by her father didn't kill them sooner, particularly with what they knew now. But keeping walkers in a barn was so stupid it kept them alive.

Daryl, however, was with Merle. They heard the reports, but already long ago had abandoned ties to people and places, choosing instead to stay in the truck or cheap motels. Nothing mattered, and pain wasn't knew. That's how they lived, when someone attacked them they were already prepared to defend and throw the off before teeth sank down. They learnt quickly these things were dead people, took the advice to kill 'em and moved on deciding to head out of the Atlanta area to more rural Georgia.

They walked and walked, and they hit the road, the grey expanse bring nightmares back for them both. There was only a little light left in the sky, and Daryl was no thankful for the packs since they had torches in them. Walkers were scarier once you had just lost one of your own and nearly all the rest. This must have been the place they found the SUV. Cars were rifled through carefully, the unwanted contents in little piles. Sasha's work made it easier to find a place to rest Beth down. They climbed in the bed of an old truck, high enough off the ground to avoid walkers should they sleep but easy to get out of.

Beth's mind started functioning again some hours later. She felt rested from her catatonic state, but her chest felt tight with the knowledge that it could all be gone. Sasha was definitely gone, but Kenneth and Daryl and Michonne had been ok. Her body started coming back to her, the cold night air hitting her face but the rest of her wasn't cold. Oh god, was she dead? The heated pads of warm hands on the small of her back and under her thighs slowly revealed the truth, she was being held. She wanted to sob with joy, but her body wasn't ready to move yet. The smell of him and the pink blanket were the first things that struck her when she snapped into reality by opening her eyes.

Daryl felt her move a little, accustomed the occasional twitch of nightmare, she'd be awake soon. Her little groan and the move of futile muscles in her back let him know she wanted to sit up, so he did it for her. Propping her up slightly so she had her head rested against his shoulder she mumbled incoherently. Maggie who was waiting no time, but blinding Beth and Daryl with torch light in enthusiasm to get matching moans and find the supplies. She pulled out a water bottle from the open bag passing it to Beth's shaky hand, who had a shadow of Daryl's beneath it should she let her grip loosen.

Beth seemed to only need to wake up a little bit, she stretched happily remaining seated on Daryl. He, for the most part, tried not to let his cheeks flare red at the feel of her tight muscles stretching against him. She took the cold soup can offered by her sister, forcing a tight smile to reassure her. Maggie could see the pain behind the look but was grateful for the reassurance anyway, it was the way in their group.

''Sasha's dead.'' Beth's voice was small, the image of Sasha's frozen expression cutting through the front of her vision. It felt numb and unreal like some sick joke. Considering the long lapse of silence, which had been, unknowingly to Beth, hours, it sounded weird to have their thoughts said out loud. Daryl and Maggie realised only when they stopped moving what a major blow they had been through, and mourned alone.

''Who else?'' Beth persisted, her voice high and youthful. Her eyes felt heavy and the world seemed discombobulated for the time she had missed.

''- We don't know, we thought –'' Maggie's voice was still hoarse from screaming earlier, she hadn't forgiven Daryl over that walker debacle. Her voice caught out as if saying it would make it true.

''We thought it was you.'' Daryl finished for her, surprisingly the one to create unity between the lover and the sister. His body tensed when he said it, pulling her subconsciously just a little bit tighter, voice restricted with untold anguish and pain. And she looked at her sister's face, and from the feel of Daryl's body she knew which expression would be on his head. They thought she was dead when they set out.

''You came to get my body. Sorry to disappoint.'' She needed them to understand that she got why they had come back, if anything it made her feel warm inside that they wanted to give her dignity after death, even if she could eat them. Beth tried to inject a joke, but it fell flat a small near silent growl from Daryl at her morbid humour. Zombie land does that to you. Maggie simply gave a small glare and they elapsed into silence.

When the light came up, Beth finally moved herself from Daryl's lap, standing in the back of the truck and stretching. She hadn't felt his bad since the prison. Her muscles all burned, but that was nothing to the heavy guilt she felt over Sasha's death. Sasha loss, along with losing the rest of the group and their home was too much to take. Beth wanted to curl up and try and let her brain catch up, but it had been hours and it still seemed so unlikely. Daryl zipped up the bags, tightening his boots and shoving the pink blanket back in the bag. He passed one to Beth, who was going to pass it down to Maggie who had jumped out the truck.

Maggie landed two feet on the ground, legs bent slightly. The sun was still slightly faded in the sky, trying to get its strength. The hope of a better was going to be unfounded, when a sharp pain erupted through her entire body starting at her leg.

_**:D so yeah, I'm not quietening down yet…. No break for our heroes! xxx**_


	28. Chapter 28

_**Well, this is the next chapter- I'm really running out of things to put up here- I actually feel awkward- oh! Thought of something, I'm sorry if it feels too drama-y or repetitive as some reviewers have kindly criticised, I don't actually have a plan or plot it's really a chapter at a time deal so I'm sorry if my head spills out the same universal rubbish :D I will make an effort to improve, and I'm thankful for the help! xxx**_

Not in a world too far from the one we are in now, there were losses and mourning. People would get old and their organs would give out, or they'd get ill and never recover, and there was time to say goodbye. Tragically, there were also the losses that were sudden and sporadic, thing like freak accidents and negligence to safety. But both of these conditions give you time to mourn and grieve, and think about the person you've lost.

This world is different. The living are far outnumbered, if you grieve for everyone who died then it could never stop and we'd be here forever saying 'sorry' and 'rest well' to the restless moving corpses. That's another difference. In the old world the dead remained dead, their bodies could remain untouched and respected. We don't have that, we have no choice but to mutilate or decay above ground. And we all turn. No matter how we die it will happen.

Maggie face paled, the scream-like moan bubbling over her lips before she could censor it for thoughts of thinking that walkers would all flock toward them. She didn't have to look down, there was no use, she knew exactly what had happened. When her body fell it slammed into the body of the tuck, her shoulder bruising with impact, as she slipped down to the hard sun-cracked tarmac. Her fingers felt it, rough and so real, the sun streaming through her half closed eyes to make the rest all blurry. The gnawing pain in her ankle increased as the walker took another bite, red flowing from its mouth as it caught her where her jeans met her converse.

It must have been hard for the first family to see their loved ones ripped apart by other loved. I'm not going to say it stops being painful, it never does, but you numb yourself. You forget these things are human, that they once loved and laughed and cried. Perhaps they were just like you. Maybe they procrastinated reading stories but having the comfort of a warmth of security, we all had security. And every human has the ability to feel great burdens of pain without cracking in half, even if that's how it feels.

Beth's scream intermingled with her sisters. She took no time in climbing down, kicking the walker violently away, its head hitting into the peeling faded paint of the trucks door. It snarled at her, trying to crawl out from under the car with deteriorating arm muscles. A frantic noise came out her throat as she stabbed it sharply with her knife, leaving it there to rush to Maggie's side.

Daryl had moved her to lie down properly, holding her shoulders back so that she couldn't see the injury. Shock would only kill her quicker. Beth didn't have to choice to miss a beat, she pulled off her belt, strapping it around Maggie's leg as tight as she could.

''We gotta get it off,'' her voice was high and tears streamed down her face, Maggie's noises had fallen to small whimpers of pain and fear, leaving Beth's normal voice sounding like shouts. But there was nothing they had to use; a knife, a gun, a crossbow. Daryl shook his head at her, feeling sick at the cry Beth made to respond. Her body was shaking, her small hands wiping away Maggie's tears as her own only fell to replace them. She was shaking her head and sobbing.

''No, no-'' Beth's voice was hoarse and lost, stoking Maggie's hair back to look at her sisters feverish face, ''you'll be alright, Maggie- y-you have to be''.

Daryl took his jacket off folding it up to place under the brunette's head. She wasn't allowed to go in any more pain than necessary. Maggie's eyes focused and unfocused, the concentration forced on her face, she wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye. He had to appreciate the love in that action, how easy it must be to just give in to the solace of everlasting unconsciousness until the venom got to the brain or the blood loss got there first.

Of all the pain filled memories in his life, of which Daryl had his fair share, the undoubted top was seeing Merle turned. The death of his brother was something Daryl had thought inevitable before the world changed, he had resigned himself to the idea of overdose or liver failure for Merle. Then this shit happened, and bizarrely got his brother to cut back on the limited supply. For the first time there was a chance they'd do this, be the last two men on earth. Then he disappeared. But Merle was never dead, and the loss was never really a loss because he knew he was alive somewhere. Only a Dixon can kill a Dixon, and although the governor set the scene, Daryl had finished the job.

And was it not that poor Carl shot his mother only moments after his sisters birth, that he had stomached the death and moved on. But it changed him, made him cold and empty inside. No child should do that.

The first one he had seen have to do the deed was Andrea. That campsite night when they all sat around picking fights, and the blonde chick was laying on the floor, bleeding it out as her sister sobbed above her. Perhaps it was because it was the sickest thing he had seen anyone go through, or maybe the idea of family meaning something to each other- but he never forgot that.

This place did sick things to you. The most perverse distance from the old world was you either had to kill your loved ones, or they'd kill you.

Beth was knelt down beside Maggie still, muttering small stories about anything that came to mind. When had there been a time she didn't have Maggie? Maggie was her big sister, she could be brash and loud and used to beat her up as a kid. But that hole was never going to fix. Ridiculously Beth had once though her going to college and sleeping with boys would tear them apart, but what can that possibly be compared to death.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was meant to go to school, graduate spend the summer having parties and drinking behind her daddy's back. He would find out and shout at her, God, she wished he could shout at her right now. Maggie was never going to be a bridesmaid now. And then they'd get old and have children, and Maggie and her husband would come over for New Year's every year and Shawn with his progeny. Her mama and her daddy would see her every Sunday in the same church she was christened in.

The tears were hot and relentless, pouring now, she was aware of her streaming nose too but she didn't care. It had been hours, it have been minutes, it had been days. No more time was a sin to not have, but there was no amount of time that would make it hurt less.

Maggie's breaths were becoming insatiable breathes, her chest was filling with a liquid that made it all rattily. She was almost gone, Beth noticed. Her voice sped up, saying whatever she could think of to say, any story at all that would take the pain away a little bit, as if such thing existed. Some words came out as sobs, others simply couldn't be formed through tears or gasping breathes. Maggie tried squeezing her hand periodically to show she was there and still listening even if her eyes were closed and her own small sobs escaped her.

When the chest stopped moving, Beth sat back, her eyes even on the chest of her sister. She prayed to a god she had long ago forgotten, kissing Maggie on the head gently. Her teeth chattered together slightly, her face grimaced, loud sobs once again coming from somewhere deep inside her.

Daryl knew Maggie was gone from that noise. He had been stood a while away to give them privacy in that final long drawn out hour, shooting walkers down quietly and letting the siblings make the most of it. But it was all over. And hearing Beth nearly snap in half reminded him of himself. He knew there was no cure, he knew this was something she just had to deal with, but that didn't stop him looking at the sky and muttering some unachievable wishes to the breeze.

The pinprick sensation told him he was on the verge of tears himself, but he had a job to do now. He wrapped a strong arm around Beth's waist, she was fighting to clutch on to Maggie, but it was impossible to hold on in her state. He pulled her away, her struggling feet attempted to watch every last second of Maggie's body. When they were at the bonnet of the car on the opposite side her stopped moving, Beth's weight shifted downwards as she let herself cry, he gently let her find her place on the ground to curl up and sob.

Beth's knife was still in the walkers head, he pulled it out, wiping the blood off for ceremony. Kneeling down at Maggie's head was difficult, he killed walkers all the time, but it's different when it's someone you know. It's even harder when they still looked like themselves, pert lips slowly going blue. The sooner he did it the more like herself she would be. He rested the blade at her temples, trying to do this as nicely as possible. Maggie deserved the respect.

''I'll keep her safe, tell your father too.''

He stroked her hair in an odd affectionate gesture. Leaning back, and pulling the knife with him. He didn't expect to see an ashen faced Beth staring at I'm with large red eyes, he could see her swallow heavily. The weight of being the last Greene was too much to take, it felt weird. He simply watched her, knowing she appreciated not letting her sister turn because it's something she couldn't do that herself. There was only time to respect your dead, not the dead.

The backpack was still on her small shuddering shoulder, and he was transfixed seeing her face turn from pallid heart break to white hot fury. The boot crashed down the truck-walkers head even though he was dead. Blood spurted but Beth continued, smashing the head until it was unrecognisable. Her jeans were already red and stiff from yesterday, she seemed to not feel the wetness, not to let the dead stench hit her.

''Beth-'' his arms reached out, firmly encircling the top of her arm. She looked up blue eyes confused and angry, shaking her small head as she turned. And she ran, clumsily and as far as her legs would take her. The burning lungs and legs never stopped her, she just kept going. She needed to be away from there, and seemingly he hadn't missed a beat, running behind her letting her have the space and the protection. When she wanted to hit him, or cry on him, he would be there.

She stopped in the middle of the tarmac from a brisk walk. The sun was at its highest point, blaring down onto her reddening skin. It felt dizzying to simply stand, the motion of the world's continuance settling in her gut.

''I was meant to die first.'' She knew he was behind her, and she knew he would hear.

''She wouldn't let that happen. I'm sorry, Beth-'' his voice was as raspy as hers, his large hand settling on her shoulder. But he couldn't think of anything to say.

''I never said sorry for throwing her pills in the pond, or told her I didn't hate her for eating my pop tarts every time she came home drunk- I-I never said enough-I didn't do enough. And now I'm all alone.'' Beth voice cracked, the loud wail was muted by him roughly pulling her to his chest, letting her bury herself within the protective concealment of his arms. Her small arms held onto his back in small fists, her head fitting perfectly under his chin.

''No you're not, not you are not, Beth Greene.'' He muttered it into her hair, the heat of his presence and strength of his arms holding her together and stopping the shakes. They remained like that a while, then she slipped his hand into hers and they set out their journey. Just like before they headed to a future of survivors and rebuilding, trying to push the pain and death behind them.

There's something special about Beth Greene, the way she's still beautiful in heartache and finds the strength within her to believe and trust. The incapable actions of the rest of us are put to shame, we gave up on loving with the reanimation of the dead if not before. But she's like a shiny new penny, untarnishable by this, locked up in a strengthening solution of gradual pain and loss.

_**I'm sorry guys. Tell me how you took this! xxx**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Had like the busiest day, been to Wales and back for a disappointing open day and came home to a rejection letter from my top choice. Anyway, things to do with the story- I find myself apologising for the last chapter, I understand it upset a few people. My intention was not to upset you, and as a defence the last two chapters were originally one but they got a bit too long so I split them. Maggie's death was a choice I stand behind, I don't want to be one of those authors who exempt characters from death (beside the Bethyl cause they're kinda the protagonists) Rant over, I promise.**_

He held her hand and they walked silently together. Carrying a backpack and a world each, she focused only on the journey, putting one step in front of the other. He couldn't help the sideways glances or the pity settling in his heart, despite the fact they were tow tings he hated most about awful situations. He was being those people who looked across at him as if their looks could stop his pain. No look can do that, and the first time the role was reversed. And it hurt to know how awful this side was too, as if all those years of glaring back were unfounded after all. A glare doesn't dent the need to alleviate someone else from a hell you know they're living.

The old 'Catholic Elementary School for Children' stood crumpling in its own ancient grandeur. The red brick worn by passing time and the harsh elements, beating it down to the core strength and removing the smooth surface to expose cracked and healed wounds. A sharp high metal fence wrapped around the entire place, painted in flaking mossy green, hiding away the youthful sketches of hopscotch and drawn goalposts.

A rusted gate creaked as it opened, and creaked again when it was shut. Daryl led them to the large oak doors, they looked imposing simply as an adult, let alone any kids who were here a life time ago. It was surprisingly quiet and dark inside Beth slipped in, following the noise of familiar murmurs to get to the only crack of light under the door. She paused, and Daryl she felt did too. He was letting her lead the news she realised, and a flash of guilty anger crossed her mind as she realised she couldn't do it.

The faces of the others looked up at the movement of the ajar door, smiling happily at seeing the light hit Beth despite her dishevelled look. Michonne stood up wrapping her in her arms, kissing her cheek happily in a bizarre display of affection. Moments after the collaborative hugs of Kenneth, Judith and Glenn were upon her. She could hear them laughing in excitement. Everyone thought she was dead. It caught in her throat, but people were dead. Sasha and Maggie needed to be mourned, she didn't begrudge Tyresse for not coming to welcome her back from the afterlife, and after all she wasn't his first choice for resurrection. The sweaty arms and smiles may have been there a moment, but Beth couldn't breathe, and childish as she was she did the only thing she could think of.

Daryl felt Beth brush past him, hurrying down the hallway with Judith in her arms, a small sob emitting in the air. He pushed into the room next, getting gentle hugs that stopped with the realisation he was alone and that he wasn't smiling. Michonne looked in the dark hallway behind him and pieced it together before Daryl had even opened his mouth.

Beth let warm tears fall on Judith's little arms, relishing the unspoken comfort of a child that was alive and thriving in this hell. She had shut herself behind a heavy door, the light streaming in a large bay window to show her it was an old staff room. She slowly moved to light kneeling on dusty furniture to look outside. And she couldn't understand this placement, they could see the children play from here. The large window was a portal to every inch of the school yard, the soft grass and pavement alike. This world made sense, but her world made no sense at all.

The door was closed but she still heard Glenn's reaction, the noises of his cries were embedded in her bones. She would never be the same again, and neither would he. When it was her turn to die, she wondered who would feel the loss like this, if anyone at all did. But she didn't care if they did or not, because she wanted to be dead. She needed to do it, if it meant Maggie was still here. Then she could look down from heaven on the brunette and see her have children and remain strong as she saw daddy, and Shawn, and her mama.

Tears spilled down her cheeks, she couldn't do this. It hurt too much in too many places to keep going, her entire body slumped. She leaned heavily back against the old tweed sofa, holding Judith like a toy to give comfort, but the most precious thing anyway. Ass kicker was content to be in the comfort of Beth for once, nuzzling her and trying to aid the distress she felt eminent in the air.

The small child's face, although concealed by blurred tear, made Beth think. So many of her friends, and the people they met- they were family-less now. They were all the last ones here. Daryl was the last Dixon, he had the weight and knowledge of Merle's death as a haunting presence to urge him on when he was weak. Judith had no one here but a surrogate mother and hopefully a family elsewhere, though she might never meet them. Glenn, and Tyresse, and Michonne. They all came alone. Zombie land doesn't like to keep blood-ties tied for long. But they all made strength from their losses, they were the formidable forces that kept everyone else in balance, and all she wanted to do was curl up and cry forever.

She wiped her eyes hard, forcing the tears to stop. She couldn't do this, she wasn't a child, she wasn't weak. Fuck this, if she was still here she was making everyone proud. Maybe she would never be Maggie or a warrior in any sense. Perhaps her walker kill count was tallying much lower and her scavenging abilities were below par. But she'd find something and she'd do it. Looking out the window to where the lowering sun was hitting everything in gentle arms as if regret shrouded this place.

Daryl looked at the ceiling and swallowed, trying to block out the soothing words of Kenneth as he crooned a distraught Glenn. They all took it hard. Two members in a day, reducing them to a fraction of what they were- just like the prison all over again. Maybe it was time to change tactic, and they could-

Beth interrupted his thoughts, her red face and deep breathing needing no explanation. Where Michonne had once rejected holding the child at all, she took Judith at the offer and placed her on her lap, turning back to simply stare seriously at the wall. Beth turned, ignoring Daryl out of her own need for independence in this, he had done what he could.

He didn't know if he wanted her to go, wasn't sure what she wanted or what she was after. But her fists were clenched and head held high as her footsteps echoed the tiled floor. It was the look of a Beth on a mission. And he trusted her, because if she was going to feed herself to walkers there was nothing he could do anyway. Besides she unfortunately had to learn to cope eventually. The door shut behind her.

She blinked in the light, not even twenty minutes and her eyes accustomed themselves to be like a badger in its safe den. She liked this place, it was old and dusty, but it lacked the bloodstains and ruin of everything else. As if it existed within a bubble no walkers could see, simply aging in peace and quiet, as all its children never returned because they were dead or the walking dead. Shivering at the thought, she pulled her arms around herself trying to get her bearings. Walking around the yard she found the staff room window, recognising the small wiped circle on the top pane where she had looked out. Turning her back to it she tried to glance around, finding what she was looking for almost immediately.

They had about two hours of fading daylight left, the lights didn't work but Daryl was certain this place was empty. He checked anyway, doubly so, needing to know that they were alone. Anything at this point could have made the slightest difference to uplift the mood in the main room. This place had been a classroom in the old world, the tiny wooden desks and coloured paper still adorned the place in memories of his own childhood. A small circle had been made in the story corner on the plush mats and beanbags that still emitted the smell of custardy youth.

She came in slowly, like a skittish little puppy. Wherever she had been had left her covered in mud and totally messed up, but she looked calmer that mad shock somewhat understood now. Her still healing stomach was revealed as she help the brim of her top up to carry something over to them. By the time she got around the table and knelt down everyone's eyes were on her.

Apples and tomatoes rolled off her top gently to the floor, landing like a sacrifice to some nonexistence presence that might save them their fate. Tyresse was the first to take a small reddish apple, biting into the satisfying collapse of crisp flesh. They all slowly devoured a dinner of the freshest food they had ha in weeks, things from a tin were hard to find, things not from a tin or one of Daryl's arrows were even harder to. Even Glenn couldn't waste this, taking his share and sulking off to lay somewhere a long time. As with her, they didn't stop him.

If you would have told Beth three years ago she was going to be orphaned in the world, eating fruit like it was popcorn at a sleepover on the day of her sister's death, she wouldn't even entertain a thought of 'you're insane'. Her head eventually found its way to Daryl's lap, laying down and closing her eyes as he played idly with her hair.

He watched her sleep, curled up on her side, like a foetus. Occasionally she would cry or she would squirm uncomfortably in her sleep. Hands curled into little fists to fight off the demons in her head. But he stayed up, letting the torch light and moonlight fuel his eyes to simply stare at her and softly, albeit awkwardly, pat her head or run a thumb along her arm. He thought of what they were going to do, their last 'plan' had killed two people. But there was no other way to ensure they found the others, hell even the last plan couldn't ensure that. As sad and hopeless as it felt they had to give up if they wanted to survive. But it was a sickeningly selfish thought he had, so he stared at Beth and tried to not only think of keeping her safe. But to no avail, because it could be so simple.

And they could stay here forever, bring up Judith. They could make a home, stop looking for the others in exchange for a fence and walls and thick heavy doors. They would have each other and die of old age, fat and happy. Zombie land kills off the dreamers, and turns the non-dreamers into dreamers to kill.

_**So we have the school, and I almost have a kind of plot-ish in my head that I will try not to forget :D xxxx**_


	30. Chapter 30

_**So guys, I already mentioned in one of the other stories that I'm away until Monday, so sadly no updates- I'm in France and I'm going to do a writing stint now so that everything is updated. Got my green tea (with cranberry obviously) and a mini-roll so all good to go. **_

The days past by slowly until a week had practically passed with the same sombre tone of Glenn and Beth keeping busy, occasionally doing odd jobs together to share the burden of pain and give the others a break from in. Tyresse was quick to anger but functioning, doing the brunt of heavy lifting so he was forced to sleep heavily.

They had covered the holes in the fence where possible, reinforced it in others. The windows were high enough to be non-threatening and all had heavy navy curtains that blocked out all the light. It wasn't a big place, hadn't been built to be. But big places brought attention and small places wouldn't work for the space needed with the level of tension they all held. The prison was testament to being bigger than they could afford to run, ad what's worse there were even fewer of them now.

Beth was enjoying seeing Judith crawl and play on the grassy area as she worked under the faded banner of 'Healthy School needs Healthy Kids' in the garden. The fresh fruit and growth had spread out into easily organised plots, some of which weather and bugs had rotted away, others unidentifiable. But Beth had managed to get a few accompaniments for each meal, and Glenn was busy expanding the space for gardening in hopeful ignorance they'd be long enough to taste their produce. Even if they weren't, this would be a haven for some other survivors as it had been for them.

Judith made a sharp noise of attention, making Beth, Glenn and Tyresse who were working nearby to turn sharply to where she was. Judy had got herself onto her own two feet, something she was practicing a lot recently.

''What's up lil' ass kicker?'' Beth's voice was warm and she smiled at the child's proud face, she crouched down at the end of the grass, muddy hands on the soft grass ready for the break. Somewhere along the way Daryl's name had been adopted, and Beth wouldn't be surprised if that's what she thought her name was.

Judith gurgled again, outstretching her little fists at Beth who simply tilted her head. Determinedly Judith moved her right for, teetering greatly she managed to keep herself up to repeat the action. Beth felt her face twist into the first real smile of days. The small child was stumbling toward her, little yellow dress making the entire place look like the pre-apocalypse world. When Judith stumbled forward Beth was there to pull her up under the armpits, jumping up with the child to spin her around and place little kisses over her wriggling, laughing face and neck.

Glenn and Tyresse both clapped heroically, managing their own smiles at the remembrance of life. A glazed look of unfulfilled wished rested in Glenn's eyes, but his happiness seemed genuine for once. The ruffled her hair and felt the loss of losing someone drift off them a little bit as they kept working in the warm sun. Beauty can be found in the smallest of places, particularly in world dark enough to highlight every little flower and illuminate happiness of the past.

Kenneth and Michonne were told twice, since the first time was too fast and mumbled to understand. They all said how clever the child was, secretly praising the toddler for changing the tone of this place for a few hours. It's a wonder what a simple smile can do. Beth tried not to think of the existence of life in comparison to the shortness of Maggie's, or of her nephews and nieces she'd never see, as Glenn was trying so hard not to either.

Daryl came back to a changed place. The reinforcements and place had the same aura of dangerous antiquity, but inside there was the muffled sound of laughter again. The small cafeteria was separated by an open square to the kitchen. Beth and the others could be seen making dinner and talking here. He walked over, leaning over the serving counter to place the catch of the day on stainless steel surfaces. The light thud made everyone turn around and grin at him, albeit a few mingled half smiles.

''What's going on?'' he looked across to a gurgling ass kicker playing on the counter with an eggbeater next to Kenneth.

''We have the smartest little girl here,'' Michonne gave her rare big smile and took the assortment of small mammals to skin and strip in an unused sink near the door. Her katana was strapped to her back, as always, and shoes on in case of the need to run. It was easy to see the human walls of worry were still up on everything they did.

''Why, what's Beth done?'' He folded his arms leaning further into the picture of the group all sat on the counters but for Beth and Michonne stereotypically taking over the cooking duties. He looked across at her, stirring a collaboration of tins in a large pan over a wood fire they had constructed on top of the stoves. She was, if anything, totally changed to this morning. The blonde waves had bounce back in them, her pallid cheeks now pink with heat and a small smile.

''Hey,'' se made a high indignant noise as the rest snickered, spinning round to point a wooden spoon at him. ''I am not a little girl, you of all people should know that. We're talking about my little Judy-Wudy, aren't we little thing?'' Beth's voice went sweet and higher, fighting over the babbles of the child as she picked her up, tickling her sides and pulling her over to the counter near Daryl.

''There we are, baby. Show Uncle Daryl your new talent.'' Beth helped Judy find her little feet on the cold smooth surface, the child caught his fierce blue eyes, unafraid because she knew he wouldn't hurt her. Her little feet moved again, a bit of drool falling down her chin as she sucked her bottom lip in concentration. By the time her little hands wrapped around his rough ones, which he hadn't remembered holding out, he was sharing the same look. The pain of knowing Rick missed this, hidden behind realising they had got this child through infanthood.

Beth had made a small room out of the nurse's office, which Daryl had basically moved into too. The last week they had lay there, sometimes holding each other, but mostly not. Beth's detachment was something he hadn't anticipated from her grief, but it seemed to be what she was doing. And it was hurting him inside, but he couldn't confront her about it, so he hoped it would be fixed. It was late, he purposely kept himself scare until he thought she would be sleeping, and he'd leave again early in the morning. He didn't want to bother her, but he couldn't comprehend his neglection might be perpetuality the problem.

Beth was lying on the plastic covered bed, wrapped in the blankets, facing the wall in a small ball. He sighed at the sight of her, it made his heart itch indescribably. She heard the door close and rolled over, moving across do he could sit down. He did, with a loud sigh. His muscles protesting at the long hour of hunting he was doing continuously, he had to remember he wasn't twenty anymore.

Beth slipped off the bed, kneeling by his feet and undoing his laces in a slow gesture of friendship. She loosened them off with pale nimble fingers, looking up through a mess of blonde hair to gaze at his face.

''I'm sorry.''

He didn't know what she was talking about, maybe she didn't either. But it was said and he simply nodded, suddenly exhausted with it all. With Beth being out of commission emotionally he was left trying not to care. But he did, and now he could. She understood this getting up and carefully stepping between his legs to wrap her against him. He let himself cry, her arms around his shoulder holding him to her chest and playing gently with his long hair.

Somehow it happened that she kissed the top of his head, and when he looked up at her glazed eyes, she pressed her lips gently to his stubbly cheek. Leaning down to his level, he took to opportunity to hold her closer. And then they were side by side, kissing each other's hands and shoulders in slow languid movements. When he was in between her long legs, he pressed their lips together, ignoring the feeling of her legs wrapping around him.

''Take me on a run tomorrow?'' Beth knew she needed to break the cycle, and Daryl was already nodding pulling her in for another heated kiss. At this point in time he could promise her anything, she could have anything at all that she wanted as long as the soft sweetness of her lips stayed on his. Her hands were everywhere, relishing the strong heat of his body and keeping him tight against her. They shared small noises and moans, eventually letting themselves drop off, her head on his chest hands intertwined with his as the other held the small of her back close to him.

They had the one room without the benefit of high windows, or any windows at all. But they had privacy and the smallness of the room actually helped them feel safer. Not to mention that Daryl had years of practicing his automatic alarm clock. His eyes opened, he heaviness of her was the same place she had been all night, and he smiled. Right back where she belonged. He knew they had to get up if they were going on a run anywhere, but selfishly he wondered if he could cajole her into an entire day of last night.

He removed himself gently, she groaned turning over to take the covers with her. The sheet missed her back and Daryl pointedly looked away. He didn't remember when she started sleeping in a top and her knickers, and it never really bothered him. But sometimes he'd catch glances, and little thoughts about a not so innocent Beth Greene popped into his head. The image was imprinted anyway, he could bet it would be for the rest of the day, they curve, the small line where her long legs started- damn, now he wanted to lean across and touch it, it would be so easy, and she wouldn't say no…

But he had to. Run. Get stuff together for a run. Commanding his head to think of anything except the blonde little vixen on the nurse's bed- great now he was thinking of Nurse Beth. He changed into a new shirt that was basically as dirty as the last and pulled his boots on. Used to being the first up, Daryl didn't need to make a conscious effort to not make noise he got to the kitchen packing a bit more than they needed in case they got stuck somewhere for the night. It occurred to him they needed more backpacks, since the ones they had were too busy being emergency ones and empty run bags at the same time.

He waited the longest time possible, watching the sky and making a 'to-go' breakfast of tinned pears and apple juice cartoons for reading time, before he went to pull he rout of bed. The chill obviously made her cover herself properly, which he was thankful for since his mind was still reeling. Getting Beth up was always harder than one would imagine, she still held the values of a good teenage rebellion moaning and dressing reluctantly as he nipped out to tell the others they were headed out. Beth only slipped into Kenneth's room, where he and Judith used beanbags to sleep on, it was the first room they were in all those days ago- but he liked Judith to be surrounded by the colour and words of younger years.

They only had to walk about five miles to get to the nearest small town, if you could call it that. The neglected cluster of houses had simply four shops. The neglected air still stunk of death, but only one pitiful walker lay on the ground, its legs eaten away by time or other walkers, stretching out arms and weakly snarling on its back. Beth walked over, surprisingly gently stabbing it in the head before walking away.

Beth pulled necessary junk out the charity shop, collecting clothing she thought would fit them all, particularly for Judith. But it was hard to not take everything, only the practical bare necessity. She picked up little boots and smiled at their smallness and the fact they were definitely needed now. The bric-a-brac was tempting too, but she only took the candles. Daryl found a lighter and two more walkers to take down.

The food shop was picked over, but they got a few bits shoving them into grocery bags in case there were a lot of things in the mechanics. As they approached they passed a gumball machine, the bright colours making Beth smile at the hidden need-for-nothing life she was privileged to be part of for sixteen years. They found a couple of things, mostly a new hammer for Tyresse and some more manageable walkers to kill off. Less threat for another day.

Beth snuck into the florists herself, the bright spark finding a few packets of seeds for hers and glens little garden. She was climbing out the open window as the door was jammed on presumably the old florist's body when she saw it.

Daryl saw Beth down the street, he was in the charity shop again, leaning out to call her name. it was normal level but that was loud enough for her to jump from what she was doing to run tot where he was, he leaned back in. when she stepped in, he closed the door behind her, cutting off her worried question with a heavy kiss, pushing her against the wall. She moaned and slowly started the reciprocation of the kiss. He ran his hands down her small arms in hope of holding her hands again. Though it may sound girly, he liked the feel of her small hand encased inside his own. He got to her small fist and frowned, stepping back to examine the contents of the now outstretched palm.

''I want the red one,'' she smiled wildly her hair totally dishevelled and panting chest, slipping the gumballs into her pocket. She had almost felt bad about stealing tips, but one look back at the florist and it was obvious that she didn't needed any other tips than 'don't get bit'.

He rolled his eyes at her, matching the grin to push his lips softly against hers again. She was the one who led this time, pulling her top over her head, relishing the freedom of it just being them. Being allowed to touch and stare, unlike this morning, Daryl wasted no time at all. He was aware of the danger but that honest only made the next hour even more sensual.

There was a cough behind them. Daryl's head snapped round, and Beth's hands shot to cover herself.

_**Ok cranberry does not improve the taste of green tea, like at all. I'm going to miss you all during this enforced break (it's not even that long) xxx**_


	31. Chapter 31

_**I'm back! And I hate to say I'm exhausted still, got home at 4 am and still was at school today- expect mistakes! However, I am full of the French inspiration for l'amour, so onward Bethyl soldiers!**_

Beth heard the gruff cough, unable to place it to Daryl, her arms instinctively shot up to cover her chest. A bright rush of embarrassment only exploited the colour of her cheeks for a moment before they went ashen with fear. Daryl was shock-still, still leaning on top of her slightly. He moved to face the intruder, hands twitching and moving his body to cover Beth from view, conscious of her vulnerability. From her point she could see only tan booted feet folded under muddy, bloody jeans. She closed her eyes.

''didn't mean to intrude.'' The voice spoke again. It shared the Georgia twang in its deep gruffness, his feet turned around to give them privacy.

Daryl was up like a cat, springing to his feet, pulling a shocked Beth with him. He nudged her behind him. Keeping his eyes trained on the man, he knelt down and swiftly pulled his shirt up, thrusting it behind him for her to put on. The comforting smell of woodsy Daryl sweat managed to do nothing to alleviate her fear of the greying hair of the man in front. He was old, but he was strong. Anyone left in zombie land was strong.

For his part, Daryl was a trained hunter. His ears pricked up to every small action, feeling Beth dress and arm herself slowly with deliberate movements. Knowing she had her small knife and was dressed was some magical dosage of calmness for him. Don't trust people. He was also aware to the fact this was his fault, he got too caught up in her to notice a man walking in here. What if it was someone else who killed them immediately, at least this guy let them get into a fair standing before trying anything. Or even worse, it could have been a walker. And when Beth was bitten or he was, they'd be forced apart forever. He wouldn't let her get hurt, but it had been so close because he was too busy fooling around.

The primal noise of a growl was a shock to Daryl, though he did nothing to show it but glare slightly. The man turned around, offering a hand to shake which Daryl only ignored to look pointedly at his other. The man had his cross bow. Seeing and following the trail of the eyes wasn't difficult, the man noticed and smiled.

''I ain't takin' it, just need ya t'listen fer a while.'' The man loosened is muscles, leaning slightly on one foot, but still having the upper hand of being armed.

''I got a group, all strong, fighters the like o' that. We got some women too, but it's mostly the male kind, I'm sad to say, darling.'' He looked at Beth, his eyes like x-ray vision made her uncomfortable. The only one she had let see her in such a state as they were found was the unarmed Dixon in front of her- that had changed now. It felt uncomfortable to know that, like somehow she was more exposed and vulnerable to him. Seeing her obvious distrust and hesitation he continued.

''Strong groups don't last long- sure you've found that out by now. Our group, we split- some crazy guy came in and caused a mutiny o' sorts. I need man power to take it back.'' The man smiled sickeningly.

''No.'' Daryl's voice was small but firm. At the words of explanation his mind filtered back to the governor and the prison, what good had that done? Upheavals in groups and man-on-man fighting weren't right when you were already the minority prey. Only humans would be dumb enough to kill each other when their bodies are doing for them.

''I'm sorry?'' the man's eyes shot from the scared concealed face of Beth to Daryl. His face was set and the man could sense that there was no way in which to persuade him. But if he wasn't a dumb guy he could considering taking it back.

''We ain't helping you.'' Daryl was clear, he stepped sideways a bit more, constantly moving Beth behind him as a shield. He felt anger at himself for letting the man get in here without an arrow to the head, but that would have to wait until it was time to shout at himself.

''You see it wasn't really an offer.'' The man smiled, picking up the cross bow and loading it with ease. He stepped to the side and pointed the arrow between Beth's eyes. It was clear the man knew what he was doing, and in any case it's not like Daryl could jeopardise Beth on the hope he would miss.

The man shifted his head to the left, obviously telling Daryl to swap sides with him. Daryl felt trapped leaving Beth alone. She looked so small and meek being left, particularly when the man's heavy body was behind her. True to form she stayed small and still, waiting it out. Their eyes met and shared a moment of regrettable fear.

''Usually I kill the weak ones, makes it nicer for 'em to go quickly. She don't look like she's up to much,'' the man paused, carefully and deliberately squeezing her small biceps so she pulled away sharply. His voice was light but somehow still threatening, he knew too much to be anything but a danger. Daryl's eyes flashed dangerously. ''But you seem to like her, got some system worked out. I'm guessing she gives you what you want for protection?'' He rose his eyebrows and gave a dirty smirk.

Daryl's entire body seed to twitch in anger. The man's hands resting easily on her shoulders so he might snap her neck at any moment, the idea of her being called some sort of whore made blood boil, but he could guess the man was trying to rile him up.

''No? Oh- let me guess its love? How romantic.'' The man's voice was sarcastic, falling into the trap of monosyllabic chortles. Where we once sounded gleefully impressed at the 'arrangement' the truth seemed disappointing and laced with pity. ''Makes it more likely you'll put the grudge aside and join my little campaign.'' He toyed with another smile, knowing he was at check mate.

''You won't hurt her?'' Daryl met the man's eyes. God, he hated people.

''Not a pretty hair on her head.'' He illustrated his point with a gentle play at an escaped curl, wrapping his fingers around it affectionately. Laughing gruffly he held out the crossbow, tentatively Daryl took it, eyes fixed on the man until he saw the small move of Beth's from the corner of his eye.

Beth managed to get her knife holding hand near enough to his leg to stab and run, but he was no amateur. When his hand wrapped around her wrist, squeezing it tightly so her fingers relaxed the knife hitting the floor with a heavy twang. He tutted at the small cry she made, patted her cheek fondly and walked toward the door. The entire thing was a joke to him.

''I'll leave you to dress and gather your things.'' The man looked at a shirtless Daryl, obviously appreciating the deepest of muscles from years of hard work. If strength was what he needed, Daryl was undoubtedly the star on his Christmas tree. Most of the living were dying in their weakness, be it lack of food or lack of sleep. Paranoia and malnutrition were the cancers of the living, just as animation was the plague of the dead.

As the glass door swung shut behind him, the footfalls stopped, blocking the exit and trapping them in. she could feel the gap between them where the man had left them facing each other. Daryl watched her face, the previous disgust had dropped to a frightened agitation, her mind basically reeling loudly in the silence. He took a tentative step forward, then his other foot joined it frantically. His body automatically let her in, holding her closely in a tight hug. It was getting too close. But she was solid.

''You alright?'' Daryl pulled her closer to him, nuzzling into her hair and breathing her in to calm down. They had less than a minute probably, and he knew this was wasting it but couldn't find the time or inclination to care. She nodded, pulling him back just as tightly, her soft hands resting on his scarred skin. Had she the energy or the voice she might say that she was fed up of being called weak and being used by other survivors in their sick games.

It was Beth who pulled back first, throwing him a new shirt, happy to keep his on in case the man returned mid-change. It offered more coverage too, showed she was claimed if it didn't make her look smaller and younger. Of course age wouldn't deter many people nowadays. She shifted around on the floor, placing their back packs and carrier bags in a large $20 trunk near the till. She rested her discarded bra and vest top in a tangled heap on top.

''What ya doin'?'' he watched that uncanny ability of hers to start and finish a focused task in extreme conditions, knowing her mind was racing on a set track she had to keep up with to not fall apart. He understood that much, but what exactly her trail of thought was eluded him. He pulled on the shirt, tugging forcefully at the sleeves once they were on.

''Michonne.'' She looked up at him, blue eyes asking for an answer or plan from this man with a crossbow and one sleeve. He knew then she was aware they might not make it back, she was trying to implement a fall back plan for the worst case. The others needed food and supplies still, and these men would take it by force if not hidden.

Daryl nodded, shifting his crossbow to his back as he pulled the laces of his boots tighter and did them up, eyes trained on the door way still. The silhouette of the man was outside, and the slow murmuring indicated there were others with them. Taking the break in the guard's concentration, Daryl moved over and whispered in her ear.

''We can run or we can go wit' 'em.'' He looked around again, spying a back door and moving across to it. Opening it slightly and looking inside, it would be preferable to run without the exertion of facing a group of unnamed numbers. They could potentially head back to the group, or maybe even detour to the prison as a trap. He didn't know what was best, it had been almost two minutes, the man would be back soon. In his head Daryl knew there must be a reason the man was giving them so much time. He was either cocky or calculative.

''Can't run back to the group, what if they follow?'' Beth's mind was only on Judith. Tyresse, Michonne and possibly even Glenn and Kenneth would pass as 'strong men' to be recruited too. Perhaps that's what he wanted them to do, take them to others. Her voice was resolute, the only thing she was sure about. Daryl simply nodded.

''Just you n' me then? We'll head north, like Rick was saying- head back in a few months or weeks-'' he searched her small lightly freckled face, disbelieving the beauty of it in passion only minutes ago. Now it was live or die. She nodded, breathing in and picking her knife off the floor. He took her hand and slowly led her out the back, hoping the creaking noises would go unnoticed. Once they could see the forest line they could run, the two of them were trained in the covered element. They'd have a chance.

He got them to the edge of the building, the man was gone now so Daryl pushed Beth forward. Together they made a beeline for the woods, hearing a shout behind them.

_**So I wrote this, I promise I did but I had a nightmare of a computer-internet difficulties. Xxx hope you still all remember me**_


	32. Chapter 32

_**Phew! So next chapter after the day that everything on the earth of things going wrong went wrong, I'm surprised my computer is deciding to work in ten minute intervals with its supplied wifi…I also had to walk to the bus guys- it wasn't fun, we should all pity me xxx**_

''Shit, Beth come on''

Daryl's hand pressed into her back, making her run further into the wood. With a newly healed ankle still taking the toll, Beth ignored the sting to take larger strides trying to make it up the slight hill quickly. She wasn't as trained as Daryl, and the weeks of less exercise was doing its job, even considering she was healthier and stronger than she had been in her entire life. The stinging heat of his hand and frantic voice only spurred her on, reminding her of the run after the prison.

He overtook her now that they were underneath the leady coverage of the woods, grabbing her small hand to drag her and weave between the branches and foliage. The noise of running behind them only made him panic. They either had to hide somewhere or outrun them. Trying to count the footfalls to estimate a number was impossible, the heavy weight of his crossbow on his back only promised them a bit of safety. If he was quick enough.

Her determined face was just behind him, loud breathing and red with the effort. It was her existence that made him want to keep going, but the ground was uneven and they stumbled together on burning legs.

Behind them the men kept running, strong as them and greater numbers than they were. The man said he recruited strong ones, and that was going to be no easy task. The worry now was if they were caught what the consequences could be. It was enough to make Daryl want to sacrifice himself t their surface so Beth could run back to ass kicker and Michonne. After all he had been explicit enough in his threat the use Beth happily as leverage. Regret made him wonder if they were doing the right thing. But the ignorance of not knowing the man's true plans were could be equally just as dangerous. What promise does a man's word hold nowadays?

One foot in front of the other, and again, and again. Just keep going, and they'll keep following. The forest canopy gave out into streaming sunlight of the greying tarmac of a road. Trying to orientate them quickly Daryl cut straight across the road, pushing her and him up the small verge to the other side of the woods. A large hand wrapped around his ankle, burning hot and holding him steady so he fell over.

Beth stumbled but remained on her feet, trying to help him scramble back up again. Teo arms wrapped around her biceps, knowing the chase was over she held fast to his hand with both of hers clasped over it. His own responded likewise, strengthening the grip so they had to be torn apart and thrown back onto the hard tarmac.

They lay there panting, side by side, as the shadowy figure of the first man looked down, smirking at them. Daryl covered his eyes from the burning sun, leaning on his back uncomfortably on top of the crossbow. At least the man can't get it now.

''Well, well, well- that wasn't too nice was it. I'll hand it to ya' though, you and Barbie here were pretty swifty.'' The man flashed a toothy grin, offering a gentlemanly had to Beth and forcefully pulling her to her feet under the pretence of gentlemanly behaviour. She rubs her wrists and shrunk into herself a little like a shadow might at the sun.

Daryl got himself up, hovering closer to her protectively and shrugging, deciding it was best to keep things jovial, in case a miracle escape route presented itself. Not that they were viable to have such luck, they had blown their chance when they were seen.

''Should've gone up the road.'' He was still breathing heavily, as he gestured to the disappearing horizon of where they could've been by now if they had veered left. The man laughed, clapped him hand on Daryl's back, who simply brushed the dust off himself, unsure why they weren't being shot for running or sarcasm.

''Now, you guys are comin'- we'll over look this little episode, but we won't have a repeat.'' His voice was still light and smiling in a manic sort of way, he was the kind of guy that gave of governor vibe without really trying. Something was being concealed, and that definitely stretched to the blatant meaning of his words. They had no choice at all but to go back through the woods to where they came from, hand in hand again in solid unity.

Beth sat in the back of an unfamiliar truck, it was splashed heavily with mud and armed to the teeth. She almost was thankful they were caught before they started shooting out on them. Sighing she wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her knees up. As expected they were trying to intimidate her, putting both her and Daryl in separate cars. The men looked at her as if she were a rare commodity, which was probably not too far from the truth. Even so she had the distinct feeling that she was being protected by the word of mouth that she was taken, if not, Daryl's shirt was also most likely a heavy pointer to that fact.

They were taken on a roundabout drive to a small flat complex with a large fence built around it. The man power was already evidently great, in fact she got the most looks for once, not Daryl. Which was weird, since he wasn't meant to be the asset. They were kept divided, he lost eyes meeting his as she was quietly pulled the opposite way to him. He saw her hair flip over her shoulder as she looked back beseechingly at him.

He had to look twice when she was brought back to him. She had been given rights to a long, albeit cold, shower. The weeks of clinging mud and blood that she couldn't quite remove with rags had disappeared, leaving even paler angelic skin and fluffy blonde waves. She still had her Beth little awkward smile and big blue eyes, but the look of her walking down the clean street in a little floral dress made it look like a snap shot out of time.

Upon finally seeing Daryl near to the fence, her face beamed out into a full relieved smile, her feet instantly picking up to catch up with him. His arms were around her before he realised he had been too busy staring to really notice she was close enough to touch. He felt a ridiculous urge to push her away in case he dirtied her, but then he felt her small head nuzzle into his chest and he was lost again.

Not caring that others were watching, even less so if it meant he was staking his claim, Daryl kissed her forehead. They had been apart for the best part of an hour. He had been shown around, told how duties for guarding worked and the tasks he was to help in. Similarly, Beth was shown the women's work and given a shower and a dress. They both learnt very quickly that this place relied heavily upon the gender role stereotype initiated in the old world. Beth felt at danger without her knife or a gun, but weirdly more relaxed when she was asked to help with dinner that night.

Looking at a room of about six women as they stoked a fire and compiled tins of food, Beth already missed Daryl's presence around her. Choosing instead to do her job of fetching water (like little Jill without her Jack) in total silence. When he wasn't around she felt agitated and alone, perhaps because else didn't want a new group, or perhaps because she had lost the ability to trust people after the last few they had seen only attacked her.

She missed Judith too, like a brick in her stomach. It must have been evident on her face as she wrapped her arms round herself and leant in the doorway holding back tears. She had just learnt to walk, soon it would be her first word or moving fully onto solids. If they didn't make it back Judith wouldn't remember her. A wild desire to go back immediately lit in her chest, and Beth was sure she'd die trying.

Meanwhile Daryl was thinking of Beth, his worries that she wasn't being abused or hurt somewhere hadn't left him. His suspicious nature was always relevant in the apocalypse. She had been looked after obviously, but Gary (the man from the store) had handed him her knife saying women weren't armed here. The traditional role thing scared him a little, almost as much as the fact as there were so few women to do all the jobs they seemingly had to do.

Another suspicion he had was how quickly they were thrust into a place of work, normally the capturing of people left a few days of intimidation so they didn't leave. Not that he particularly missed that aspect of being effectively kidnapped, but it was disorientating to be treated like they'd been here for years.

Beth came up to him after a few hours with a bowl of food, she sat herself on the ground and looked out at his view of empty woods. This place could stand without so many guards, which was another reason the hairs on the back of his neck hadn't stood down yet.

''it's not bad here, but it isn't home.'' He looked at her, she was holding her knees to her chest. It shocked him how perfectly she summed up his feelings. They had food, shelter and a group, but it want their food, their shelter or their group. And that's what mattered most.

Nothing bad had happened since being thrown into the backs of trucks. Welcoming had been slow but not unfriendly and roles assigned to get them into the flow of things so quickly their feet were still catching up. It felt comforting to be part of a larger group of strong characters that practically promised safety with their biceps. But he'd rather be on the road again with the family that had adopted him.

He thought about what Tyreese and Glenn would be doing now, the day was planned out to finish the last of the digging for the garden but that would take them to enough time to have started worrying by now. Michonne would undoubtedly be scanning the area for walkers again, having a bit f alone time and taking aggression out on the walkers. She would have no human way of knowing the two of them weren't back yet, choosing to stay out late in the woods, but that inner voice would tell her.

And Judith, poor Judith had been torn away from them again. He looked down at the small woman at his feet, he yellow hair flowed in the slight breeze and it almost could have been a perfect movie moment if it weren't for the vacant look in her eyes. Being without her baby was killing her slowly. He knew that loosing family might achievably be a bigger deal to her than to him. She had always been surrounded by people she knew, and now it was strangers and him. He felt inadequate but still inexplicably needed with the look that she gave him.

''I'll get us back.''

_**I'm worried it sounds a bit rushed and confusing, but I was trying to be clever and throw you in here with the fast pace that they're going through. Don't think I achieved it very well at all to be honest, but oh well, next chapter will be better xxxx**_


	33. Chapter 33

_**Woke up on my sofa at 12 surrounded by monopoly money today, (no kids or alcohol involved), that's my explanation for why no chapter yesterday I guess xxxx**_

Beth and Daryl were given a room to share. The cold click of a lock behind them was the first sign of restraint they'd been given since being here. He looked at Beth, and she looked back simply. Sighing and moving toward the bed. The room was empty practically but for a night stand, thee bed and the fresh pile of clothes on top of it.

Beth gave a small encouraging smile at him, it seemed silly that they were both doing the same thing and pretending it wasn't that bad. It was bad, they joined another group. Perhaps it wasn't a choice to join, but still they had turned their backs on the others. He felt like a traitor, like they'd be looking for them worried about them both when they were fed, clothed and sheltered. It seemed so weird to be part of a working place like this, like they were back at the prison. Once that would've been a comfort, but it wasn't now. Woodbury, the prison, Fort Benning- they were all gone. The safe zones never stayed safe zones. Now he chose the dangerous task of day-to-day living because it simply hurt less than seeing the microcosmic world crash into nothing again. When these places fell, so did hope. He wouldn't have hop anymore, it was too dangerous.

Beth pulled up her dress, holding it in her hands and gently stroking the material with longing. He avoided looking at her in just underwear, too busy focused on her face. She had a little melancholic smile on, the one that had a hint of happiness and sadness in the thoughts she was having. Feeling his heavy gaze from where he was still stood against the door, she looked up.

''Maggie had a dress just like this, but it was red-'' Beth stopped and looked at the label, she smirked a little bit and wiped her eyes with the back of a shaky hand. In her head she remembered being shown it, the envy at how pretty Maggie was, how she was old enough to go on dates. Because Beth was just 13. She wanted her sister's curves and confidence back then. It seemed like such a silly complaint now, wanting boys to like her. By the time she was old enough to wear that dress the dead were eating the living and no boy could take her to the movies.

After a shaky laugh, Beth looked up and smiled at Daryl, throwing the dress gently into an empty corner. He sighed, shrugging off the tension form his shoulders and walking over the bed, sitting on the edge and kicking his boots off. Beth walked over silently, stood between his legs and encased him in her small arms. He rested his head against the feel of her soft skin, pretending he was anywhere other than where he was right now. They stayed like that for a while, for some reason he was fighting back emotion, so he waited for his breathing to slow to an even pace again. Waited for his heart to stop feel like it was flying away.

''You shouldn't really hug a guy in so little, give him a fucking heart attack.'' He mumbled into her chest, finding it easier to be insincere about the whole thing than confront any issues. She seemed to feel the same way since he felt her shoulders move in a silent chortle to herself. Then she leant back to look at his face.

He looked ragged and tired, covered in a thin layer of dirt as always. But his tanned skin was just as constant and his blue eyes holding the weight of everything from too young an age. It was the man she was falling for, and it made up somehow for the rest of the loss. She needed him to find her.

''Maybe you should do something about it then?'' her voice was light and flirty, but so quiet most normal people wouldn't have heard it. He looked up into her eyes, their greenish blue beseeching him to do this.

''Beth,'' his voice was coming out hoarse. He could think of a million things to say, that she didn't want to do that for the first time here. That fooling around was what got them here in the first time. She was upset and she wasn't thinking right. She just wanted a hug, didn't know what she was getting herself in for-

''Please.'' She sounded so small and fragile, he almost broke into tiny pieces on the floor. His resolve was gone and he simply nodded, pulling her small shaky frame down to meet his lips tentatively as if they had never kissed before.

Daryl always slept clothed pretty much. The apocalypse made it impossible to not need to be ready to go at any possible moment. And zombie didn't just work 9 to 5, they'd come in whether you were naked or not. It felt weird to have only a thin sheet around his legs and the rest of him. He felt naked in a more than being naked sense. Beth's cheek was on his chest, her hair in every direction possible, but she was warm and so deliciously bare. It seemed natural for her in a way it wasn't to him, she slept o soundly in nothing. But perhaps he had been too before he woke up and became conscious of it all.

A loud knock and shout about ten minutes made her shuffle in her sleep, she pouted as her brain reminded her where she was. He wanted to shout back something abusive, but it wouldn't do anything and he was trying this being less of a dick thing.

Beth blushed and pulled the sheet up slowly, much to his chagrin. She looked at him with a look of uncertainty on her face. He realised then she was just as scared as he was about this whole thing. They were both newbies to the working relationship dynamic, the idea of doing activities like they did whilst totally innocent to her- were just as new to him with this different motivation. For the first time he didn't lay in bed with a woman and think about that he'd do that day or how to make a swift exit without having to leave him number with a fake grimace.

He pulled her to him, placing a small kiss to her forehead. This girl was making him so unmanly. Then he got up, pulled on his clothes that they'd kicked off the bed onto the floor and got dressed. Taking the hint, she also moved to the edge of her side of then bed, pulling on underwear covertly as if she wasn't parading around in it yesterday.

''you're kidding me?'' her voice was rhetorical to herself more than anything. He turned round to look at her and laughed straight in her face. After a second of a hurt expression she joined in, their loud laughter making it necessary to sit on the end of the bed and hold hands gently.

Beth was dressed in a yellow printed dress, its puffy sleeves were only overshadowed by the lager bow that tied it behind her back. She looked like something out of a horror film, or a doll- Daryl couldn't decide which was creepier. It seemed this place only chose the ugliest of the outfits for the women, like they were waiting for walkers to do the job and kill them for them. Beth seemed to have stopped laughing thinking about the same thing. He thought about giving her her knife back, but there was nowhere she could possible hide it, and they were already on strike one.

The day's work grated on Beth's mind, when she was directed the kitchen by Gary again, she simply gave him a small smile and walked down the street to get there. It was easier to comply, especially if Daryl was. That was one thing about this place, it was all just one street of terraced houses, parallel to each other and blocked off at each end. Even though the familiarity gave a nice nostalgic feeling to her feet of tiled pavements and flat grassy verges, the armed quantity of men ruined the illusion.

There were still only six of them, seven if you included her. And after a few quickly answered questions she learnt there were about 34 men; all armed, all strong, all able to kill you with the push of a button. It seemed surprising how wasteful this place was. Beth could understand that rigorous activity and muscle needed food, but this place seemed to have a Wal-Mart amount of tinned good and used them like they could easily go find more. This place thrived whilst her group sat eating squirrel in a catholic school.

To be honest it was a relief to see the others were in ridiculous dresses too, all pristine and clean despite the amount of work they did. Beth couldn't get her head around it. There was no need to put them in these outfits, modesty wasn't going stop you climbing a ladder or running from walkers. No, she concluded, this is some twisted pervert's idea.

This is what gave her strength as she rubbed her hands raw doing the laundry with the other woman. They sat in a circle, as if the idea was to talk, but no one did. That was another thing, no one saw it as weird that she had been thrust in. In fact it was as if this happened more often than not, and if that were the case surely there should be more of them.

Anyone who survived this long in zombie land had to be a strong character. It was simple, but these women were silent and broken. Beth was sure a herd could walk through and that they'd sit there scrubbing in their own day dreams. She wanted to cry at their vacant expressions. It continued like this for a week; cook, clean, back to Daryl.

Daryl was back at his post of guard duty, this time on the roof in the left corner of the street, facing the empty woods. The other man on the roof was told Daryl was his new partner and they nodded and shook hands before heading back to their post.

There were so many things that Daryl wanted to ask and know about this place, but everyone seemed just as silently dazed as he did from up here the people were like little ants going along on their masculine duties to scavenge and build protection.

''He let his wife fight them- she got bitten, and he had to kill her. Messes you up y'know.'' The man spoke in a gravelly voice, but it was open and he looked Daryl straight in the surprised eyes. He shrugged at took a cigarette, offering one to Daryl who happily took it.

''That so.'' Daryl lit up and sighed at the sweet relief of smoke filling his lungs to diffuse the stress a little. He guessed that explained the treatment of women here. He'd soon learn from Beth's accounts how bad it was for them with her small bleeding hands from scrubbing too long.

''Yeah, maybe if little blondie was fighting you'd feel different.'' The man kept smoking, turning back to his side like his life depended on his attention not being taken longer than a minute, which in all honesty it probably did.

''She should fight too. What if I ain't there to kill 'em, I'd rather she could.'' Daryl was aware his voice held a certain amount of venom in it. He knew he was overacting, but his mind flashed to all the times she nearly dies but had gotten out of it due to a knife or a gun of some sort, he'd have lost her so easily if she didn't have that fire in her. Women didn't get to be cute little creatures anymore. But he hated the idea of Beth no knowing how to defend herself, and it was fucking stupid anyone would disarm someone to keep them safe. The rough man only shrugged and held up his hands in a joking surrender.

The gap-toothed man was called Paul, he used to be an insurance broker but always wanted to be a wrestler. His wife was dead, but one of the women were his twenty-ish year old daughter, Melissa. Paul liked to talk, he did it continuously. The kind of talk that Daryl hated, but knew it was important to listen to in case something useful came to slip out. Which after seven days it finally did.

Gary had told him and Beth a mutiny had kicked them out of a larger group. Lie. The larger group was in its own right a community, they were threated and bullied by Gary's men to give half of everything they found. There were other places too, but one had fallen and another was falling fast into famine that they could barely outsource. It was a clever tactic, but the pressure was coming on. The group that they were planning on evading soon, Daryl learnt, was some twenty miles past the next town and settled in a gated community. A new man had arrived, took charge in his own charisma and told the town to stop supplying Gary. The leader wouldn't take this black mail, he made them stronger and had fought the men out once at heavy cost. Now it was a matter of manly pride. The leader was going to die. Rick Grimes' execution was planned for 3 days' time.

_**I want dramatic music here, sing it to yourself please- just a classic dun-dun-dun! Thank you for reading, and a review would be lovely since I have no human contact except my bestest ever friend….(*hint hint* better be reading this Sunshine!)**_


	34. Chapter 34

_**Author's note time! I gave up on these things because I tend to waffle in them- how is the waffle for you guys? Uh so next chappy chap, oh and by the way don't wanna say any spoilers but (look away now!) right this story (bad guys forcing daryl to confront rick) and TWD atm (same thing)….bit creepy, thanks for people pointing that out *shiver*….**_

Beth pulled her hair off her neck the next morning, the usually knocking had taken place and they stretched and dressed independently of one another in way similar to couples after years of awkward practice. She pulled it sideways into little bunches, looking into the small shaving mirror Daryl had gotten hold of, letting the flaxen waves fall over her small shoulders to mingle with the faded rose pattern of her dress. It was almost communal, Beth had learnt that she and the women shared their clothes. Dresses and clothes were simply collected and replaced each day on a round, leaving her in clothes she had seen on others, and other things she had worn being worn by her silent companions. Other than her little brown boots, Beth could barely recognise herself.

It seemed Daryl had a harder time of it than her. He had downright refused to give up his angel-wing vest, starting to take it with him in the morning so it couldn't be hijacked from the room, even though there had been a continuance of the start-of-year heat wave and it was warm enough to bare arms. The jacket seemed to mean a lot, so it stayed with him. And he sat on it from his vantage point so it wasn't stolen.

Beth sighed, stretching slightly so a visible pop could be heard from her lower back. Daryl hated to admit she looked less hungry and feral from when they were brought here. He didn't know if that was good though, he liked wild Beth, when she had fire. In a way, the creepy farmer's daughter look was hitting it a bit too close to home for him not to remember how young she was. Feeling him stare Beth looked over her shoulder, giving a small questioning look. Upon receiving no answer she turned, and opened the door.

''What?'' Her lips were in a little pout as she walked onto the street, him at her heel. Inside was a single burning bulb they hadn't turned off for days. The dark was scarier than anything else here. But the morning sunlight and Beth seemed to work together like strawberries and cream, streaming almost too brightly in their combination that he wanted a moment to catch his breath and shield his eyes.

''I like yer hair like that.'' He smiled and kissed her cheek quickly, before turning around and walking off. After a few paces he wanted to turn around and shout at her to go to work, knowing he'd catch her stood there with a dazed expression, small fingers holding her cheek as if it wasn't a regular deal now. Then she'd jump and hurry off with that little sideways smile caught between unbelievibility and happiness. And he did that to her.

But she looked like a little piece of heaven there on the sidewalk. The pink dress, less offensive than usual and less out of the ordinary to see her wearing now, seemed to highlight the look in her cheeks, like she was only a child again. When did he become such a poet? Beth Greene looked like the Beth Greene he first laid his eyes on years ago, on a white wash porch holding a lemonade tray for them all to drink. He had thought it was ridiculous then, but now it was equally more so because he knew her and the dire situation they were in. And Beth Greene was still the kind of girl to hold lemonade for strangers to drink.

He told Beth the day before, about the plan to attack the other group. She had gasped and outspoken her thoughts frantically as if trying to solve a puzzle. It was hard to concentrate as she paced around in her underwear and his jacket, putting all the pieces he had put together together and then some. He had called her Nancy Drew, and she had laughed, settling on the edge of the bed as he admitted the last few details. A former Georgia so-called-sheriff with high ideas of integrity, and his son in a sheriff's hat and gun weren't clues she needed to mull over long, if at all, before she got on the same page as he was. Tears fell out the corner of her eyes, and she wiped them away smiling. She was smiling because they were alive, and then she was frowning because tomorrow they were going after him.

She was on a mission. After standing there a moment in a happy day dream (Daryl was totally right about the look on her face), Beth turned and walked down the street quickly, trying not to seem at all conspicuous. She knew Daryl had spoken to some people, even sometimes Gary, but her existence only had a few good mornings from scary looking bulks of muscle and then a stonewall of nothing from the women she worked with.

They didn't break, and they didn't chat. Just did the jobs in a slow languid sort of way. She was in the washing circle again. The short frizzy hair of the girl next to her made her jump out her thoughts as she bent down beside her wash basin for the next shirt. Looking across at her Beth gave a tentative smile. She didn't smile back. Undeterred, Beth sighed stretching and deciding to do take the plunge.

She cleared her throat quietly, but everyone turned to look at her, expectant to see if she wanted the soap or if she had finished. She said neither.

''Hey-'' she grimaced to herself and the thickness of her voice from the hours she hadn't spoken to Daryl in. What a way to start. ''I'm Beth, I just-umm I'm well you know how long I've been here- just wondering why we don't talk. I mean, my mama always said talking makes a day's load lessen.''

She sighed at the blinking responses in return. She picked up her pair of traosuers and resumed scrubbing, convinced she'd try again in a few minutes or at the next task so that they would get used to her trying for answers. To her surprise it only took a little to set the ball rolling.

''we don't have much to talk about, it was like this when I came.'' The voice was small, belonging to a plump thirty something, in that hideous yellow dress.

''I like that someone said something.'' The next woman was interrupted by the others, all uttering over each other in desperate need for communication. Beth senses she wasn't the first to think the things she had been thinking.

''Wait, back up- when did you come?'' Beth inquiringly looked over at yellow dress, gesturing slightly with her hands so tiny water droplets caught the lino flooring.

''A week before you, I guess. My partner was told he had to come. That girl, sorry – she came after me and she did after that.''

Beth was surprised, she did the maths quickly in her head. That was four of the seven of them recruited on the last fortnight alone. With the mumbling confessions of another two she realised it had been less than three weeks that six of them had been introduced into the group.

''How long have you been here?'' Beth focused on the girl beside her, the one who had remained silent the entire time. Her dark hair was clipped up but the tendrils that were loose, the same ones that caught Beth's arm, did little to conceal her face. She was staying quiet, and Beth could see it in her that there was a reason. She needed to know who had answers and bingo, this girl did.

Everyone chattered noisily over the bustle jobs, an entire load lifted from their shoulders. They spoke about anything and everything they could, their voices coarse and quiet. Beth smiled at the renewed atmosphere, saddened by knowing that it was for her own ends. Had she known this was possible she would've started talking more vigorously on the first few days that they let her drift in to silence beside them. But alas, she did it on a day she was planning to double cross them for her old leader.

Beth helped pull the sheets across the bed, neatening them and folding the corners. This was the third room she had done in total silence with the frizzy haired girl, which may not have been a coincidental choice of partner. So she put her plan into action, starting to one-sidedly talk about little non-consequential things, asking rhetorical questions to get the girl involved. Nothing. So she turned to the state men left their rooms in and then worked her way up to what they were planning.

''Don't talk about that.'' Beth shad finally got her to talk. She had commenced with barefaced comments about hearing the men talk about an attack on another group of survivors. It made the girl look up and quip so quickly Beth wasn't sure it was her saying it. But she knew enough about people to know a guilty expression when she saw one.

''So you can talk?'' Beth smiled sweetly, taking in her options. It was possible she could pleasantly cajole the girl into telling her everything, she could be a rather persuasive person. But Beth could see the tense tiredness in her eyes and knew, although weary, this girl wasn't going to crack easily. And she didn't have the time to try and fail. She'd have to go all Daryl on her ass.

The girl didn't see it coming. Beth had managed to push her over and straddle the poor girl to the bed, pinning her arms down tightly with her thighs and placing her small white hands on her throat. The girl looked shocked, and then angry, and then scared. Beth had never threatened anyone, particularly not physically, but right now the little doll was pinning this girl down. Struggling was useless and as soon as she started screaming, Beth put pressure to her windpipe, gauging the colour of her face for the right tightness. Beth was sickened by herself, but also felt a disgusting pride of power in her somewhere. For the most part she felt like jelly, but hoped her acting was doing enough to look like she was a threat.

''Tell me everything you know.'' Beth leant down, mentally trying to take on some sort of persona encompassing all the tips Daryl had taught her about getting your way and scary the shit out of an enemy. Sure she was meant to be the one pinned down, but the rules were easily inverted to make her intimidating. One chance at this, Beth,

''Please- he- he said that he'd kill me-'' the girl certainly sounded scared enough, wet eyes large and frantic. It must have looked hilarious to see, rose patterned dress Blondie taking captives for interrogation. Somewhere she hoped Daryl would be proud of her.

''I'll kill you if you don't.'' The lie came easily, Beth knew she could never do this to the point of death, or much harm past that she was currently doing.

''He's taking over the old cross group, going to ambush them in the night- humiliate the leaders and enslave the rest.'' The voice was quick, proof it was on her mind often enough for there to be no pauses. Beth almost pitied the girl, because that could easily have been her.

''That's nothing I don't know, what else-'' Beth hoped pressure might be enough, but she wanted to cry at what she had become.

''I don't know any more than you!'' The girl had started crying, warm tears distorting her face. ''it doesn't matter, we need to survive- please let me live, my father, my father needs to live, he has to hurt them to eat- my father,''

Beth felt a knife of jealous and negative emotion stab into her gut. She wasn't cut out for this kind of job, but now she was doing it, all she wanted to do was hurt this bitch for reminding her what it feels like to be so scared for your family. The family she didn't have to protect anymore.

''My father's head was hacked off by a group just like this. He died a decent man.'' Beth had never heard herself sound so venomous, the words were spat out. For a moment she was unrecognisable as herself, her grip had tightened so the poor girl was spluttering and purple. In disgust she moved her hands away, holding them in the air to prove to herself she was no animal. But it scared her.

It had all come too much. Her anger boiled over because the world wasn't fair anymore, the villain's and their cowards had taken over everything honest. She didn't want to be part of this, she needed to warn the other group. To tell Daryl at least what little she had learnt.

Then strong arms grabbed her from behind, hauling her off the body of the panting, sobbing unmoving wreck, so that her head hit the wall painfully. And the pain made her smile, because she felt like Daryl must have felt all the time growing up and since. Too much adrenaline made her stronger, she lifted her chin, picked up her evil persona and smirked.

When her head hit the wall repeatedly she couldn't feel it, only blackness and the pain of a loud piercing noise. And she realised it was a scream, but it wasn't hers.

_**Don't want to be too egotistical and say I quite enjoyed this chapter, but hey I think it's alright xxx agree or disagree? **_


	35. Chapter 35

_**So, I'm aware this is a short chapter but I am at the end of my rope with this stupid computer. Mine is actually my daddy's, so he gave me this one to use but the keyboard is all different and it keeps writing things in the middle of sentences for no reason. Expect typos. I'm sorry, I choose sanity tonight. **_

Daryl caved, and at the end of the street before he climbed the rusty fire-escape to the roof for look out, he glanced over his shoulder to see her little shoulders and hips sway away. They could have made this place work. It could've been a real thing. If, of course, there was chance to go get Judith and the others, or it didn't have a creepy feel to it, or they weren't out to kill a close personal friend of theirs. Just little things, you know? But Beth had been proved to be safe here, even in little floral bright dresses and kid's hairstyles. And that was the majority that mattered to him.

He had grown so used to her around within a simple week of being locked in a single room together from 7 'til 7. They wasted the evening away on talks of stuff they missed like peanut butter and Nutella- good solid bread-spread foods. She told him how she would eat it with a tea spoon when she was sad or upset, wasting away hours of contemplation over stupid stuff on the porch watching the horse and wishing she could be free of human constraints like them. And now she was free, mostly. Only had to hide from predators and move to find food. Zombie land makes us all animals, just not the freedom form social control and technological entrapments that we might have hoped it would be.

Times like right now, when he was sat staring at a bleak and empty landscape, he really wished he had a working phone to play angry birds on or Tetris. God, how he loved playing Tetris and that space game when he was younger. His friend Michael had his own game station to share with his brothers, but still that was better than Daryl had it. Being friends then meant free goes on games instead of waiting for a quarter to be dropped so he could run to the arcade and play with the children who got allowances. He missed those times. People had always been arseholes, but now they were arseholes who wanted to eat him.

Paul had started his daily game of eye-spy, which Daryl pointedly would refuse to acknowledge again. After a few minutes he would start chattering away about nothing, eventually just talking to himself. And although he hated it, some people just couldn't put up with be silent and doing nothing for hours on end liked aryl had down to a fine art. The hunter in him exceled at these waiting games, but seven days in a row with no real prize to have gained was grating him last energy. Normally it would be easy for Daryl to start a fight and win to blow off steam, but here was different. They could all fight him back and he had a visible weakness on his shoulder in innocent Beth Greene.

It was about four o clock, the gradual noise of trucks being loaded was slowing down considerably and Daryl realised he and Beth still hadn't come up with a plan. Gary told him he was coming on a mission with them to prove his loyalty and pay back the hospitality, not knowing Daryl knew it was a plan attacking another group. When Beth found out she nodded, saying that she wished she had more information. Surprisingly, Paul had shut up when Daryl asked too many questions about it, growing silently suspicious of his motives and carefully suggesting Daryl tread lightly.

The bell tolled for the first time since he'd been here, simply once to avoid too much noise being made to the local area. Everyone was flooded into the street, shaking hands and saying goodbye. The women all stood together. He found them by following Paul, who pulled his daughter Melissa into a long hug. He had ten minutes to chat and say goodbye so there was no pressure really, but Daryl hadn't yet found Beth.

He looked around the whole square thrice, particularly hanging around the door to their room which had been locked after housekeeping, but she wasn't there. He ended up staring at Paul, his shoulders around the ashen face of the girl whose lips looked sealed so tightly he found it hard to imagine they were related. She looked ill, maybe that's why Paul was so secretive about things. Then from underneath her starched white collar of her green striped dress he saw little purple marks. Daryl edged closer, wondering if some abuse system was happening with the girls and that's why Beth wasn't here. Oh god, what if they had taken her to hurt her. He was still moving closer to Melissa slowly, like he was in a trace. The little bruise were in fact fully formed imprints of human hands, but the fear bubbled up in him again. Those were small hands, woman or child hands, not those belonging to thirty strong muscled men. And by her disappearance Daryl could guess who had caused those marks to appear. Beth.

She coughed loudly when she woke up, a long wheeze from her chest. She felt like she must have the world's worst hang over, it all ached, all over. And what's worse she was cold, and from where her head hung down on her own chest she could see the red stains on her pretty pink dress. Lifting her head was the worst, it made her dizzy and she vomited, only managing to just lunge to the side to miss most of herself. Vomit on her lap was not an option right now.

It was coming back slowly in fragments. She hadn't gained anything at all from her interrogation technique, just when and how it was taking place. Any hope they might hijack a car and get there were days too late to try and perform. Still, she thought, rebellion suited her. Though, she might leave the next time for a small while yet.

The bell tolled behind her, and it split her head like hell. She thought for a moment, and then looked around the dark conditions. It was cold, and she was tied up with pieces of ripped bed sheet, but she was in the same room in which she ambushed frizzy haired girl. Think, Beth think.

The goodbye ceremony was a tradition, she recited, a right to honour the friendships made. Wasn't that what Daryl said. They allotted a time of ten minutes to say anything they had to say in case they didn't make it back. The ceremony was now, and Beth tried not to think about Daryl lost and confused looking for her. Or worse if they hurt him because of her. Of course if that were the case, he'd have joined her hours ago in this room where she was neglected. Beth didn't know how lucky she as she had picked this day of all days to rebel.

Gary walked over with a small smile, putting his hand on Daryl's shoulder who flinched. He asked if everything was alright but the world felt like it was moving around Daryl and districting it all so it didn't quite fit right. He wanted to hold the man down and threaten him.

''Where's Beth?'' He said instead.

''Oh, she was just fetching me my jacket form the washroom, I expect she came back to look for you. Didn't you find her? Well, its ok, you'll see her tomorrow after the mission.''

Daryl recognised the next of the cryptic threats, knowing he had to join in now wholehearted, only because they had Beth somewhere. But it was confirmation enough that she was most probably still alive. But the hand prints bothered him, it they had been hers those she must have been provoked in some way, or in any case she felt it was important enough to throttle a helpless girl like Melissa. He was ordered into the car with a friendly nudge of a gun.

Beth moaned slightly as she shifted, trying to pull her hands apart of slip them through the ties. It wasn't working. Her mind reeled back to her father for an insane second to one of his interesting life lessons she swore she was never going to need. Once in her adolescence, after a serial killer had been kidnapping girls in their local area (which had been the darkest of all things to happen to her until the apocalypse) he told her one thing. If you get handcuffed and taken, dislocate your thumb and run.

She had about three minutes left until Daryl left, which would mean that she had no chance of seeing him again. She was dead meat, and she knew that. Angling herself against the wall Beth braced herself seeing no other alternative. She said a small sorry to her thumb and put her teeth in place to not accidentally bite her tongue. She hoped the scream would be muffled by the revving of impatient engines.

Being outside was increasingly sickening. He didn't want to do this. Too many things were fighting for dominance in his head. He could protect rick, but that might potentially harm Beth. Or help kill Rick on the hope Beth was still alive and he didn't die getting back to her. And neither of them would allow him to not choose the other. Rick was his brother and comrade, had let him into a group and found a niche for him. Sure he was most likely closer to Beth, but her death was either forgone or not as imminent as Rick's was. There was a chance he could save both, but it was unlikely. There was a chance it might not even be Rick, but that was nearing impossible. Letting Rick die didn't mean Beth would survive. But letting rick live was going to kill her.

Beth heard the trucks leave, her hands were free and she was cradling her hand with tears running down her face. That had not been easy. But Daryl was gone, and she needed two hands if she was going to protect herself and get to him.

_**So next chapter will be the confrontation! I will try and my old laptop back, I mean how important is helping run a charity father? *joking obviously* but it is the reason it took me too long to write this! xxx**_


	36. Chapter 36

_**Wow, the day of everything happening- Effie Trinket outfit sorted for tomorrow, Daddy is playing poker and had a tangled-frozen sing-along movie watch for kicks. Special thanks to my reviewers and followers and the dare I say it favouriters?! **_

Beth was waiting in the dark for her captor to come, the blank nothingness of anything but a small strip of fading light from under the door. At the same time Daryl had arrived about a mile from Terminus. He was agitated, inner fights with himself made it all feel like he was being totally torn apart. They were going to sit around in the silence, and then they were spreading out, approaching the place and attacking on the signal of a single firework being set off. And then another sanctuary would fall, only Daryl wouldn't be on the inside waiting to grab a blonde and run.

He thought back to the prison again, it had been a while since he had thought about it in depth. It was too painful, particularly to relive the fear he felt. He was inflicting that onto others. He was inflicting that on his brethren. People died, a hell of a lot of innocent people. Well as innocent as this world could supply. And the human part of him, that par that sounded like Beth was wanting to cry at the idea of humans attacking humans.

It felt like nowadays they were all drifters, walkers and humans had destroyed it for them too. And everyone expanded outwards in this huge growing circle, to cluster with whoever they met. The clusters grew, expanded, lessened and reformed. Each time different groups, each time something lesser being there. That hope the victims brought with them. The last standing are the ruthless survivors. Men like him, Michonne and Gary- yes, they'd all live to a ripe old age. They were built for isolate continuance in away humans aren't meant to be. He might try to change his nature, but his family were left behind because they hadn't had to train for this. His father's beatings were at last a gift.

But he still wasn't strong enough to save Beth, not to keep her out of harm's way. Not this time, nor any time before that. He couldn't vouch for her the ways she would for him, so wholeheartedly, beaus his luck wouldn't allow it. Her luck was no better, throwing her into this world of obscenities with a heart of china. And sometimes he felt like the bull in her shop, waiting to break it into little pieces. But no, that wasn't true. Beth's heart was more resilient than its appearance, fall after fall she caught it and put on a brave face. She wouldn't stop going before she got back to ass-kicker, she wouldn't stop until she got to him.

He sat down against a heavy tree, crossbow in hand, eyes cold and scanning. He had to put his faith into the little girl he watched grow into this delicate fighter, hoping she knew enough to adapt and breathe. She would, because she had to.

Back where his thoughts were, Beth had curled up against the door, head there listening to hear any noise. Her head still throbbed, pounding painfully against her temples so that she kept thinking if there were footsteps she'd miss them. After throwing up she had felt better, but the dizziness hadn't allayed at all. Diagnosing herself with concussion, Beth cursed her lack of weapons and options. She had no choice but to wait, and after waiting was done she had no idea what the plan was going to be.

Eventually they came for her. He came for her. She had no idea who he was, but the long scratches down his arms told her he was the one who forced her back earlier. His footsteps were heavy, the light that he turned on made her blinded to everything for a few moments, making her vulnerable. But he didn't react, he stood there and waited.

''You're the one trying to kill Mellissa?'' he asked it like it was a question, with the same accent they all had around these parts, the lack of travel intensifying the deepness. But it wasn't at all a question. He had pulled her off.

Mellissa must be the girls name, it seemed weird that she knew so little but he did. She had that uneasy feeling again. The one that told her a group of these people knew more than the rest but acted like they didn't to promote the idea of silent compliance. She wasn't having it, glaring slightly because she had nothing to say anyway.

''Got more in you than you look. Think we all guessed crossbow-guy kept you around,'' he moved around her, teasingly leaving the door open and sitting on the bed. He knew she couldn't outrun him, besides it was an enclosed space- where would she go? Weaponless and injured, Beth wasn't making it twenty miles after the next town.

''I wasn't trying to kill her.'' Her voice was soft, needing to justify herself, and also wanting to avoid any Daryl discussions so she didn't inadvertently frame him. She knew her weakness was trusting people, but he sat down and her mouth started talking. Seriously Beth, you have to expect them to try tactics on you- but she wanted to believe he was in this for his own curiosity and not as a punishment, he hadn't hurt her yet right?

''What?'' he looked at her, obvious not expecting the openness she provided.

''I needed answers, and I got them,'' she shrugged, feeling that disgusting feral side of her riling up again. There was no alternative, she told herself.

As if he felt the doubt in her eyes he chuckled, leaning back completely dropping his guard. He observed her with a fascination, but she would never know why. Abraham Ford had, as of late, seen a lot of twisted things. Humans turning on humans for him started way back in the day, as soon as he was deployed to some god-forsaken place. And he knew human regret when it fought survival instincts. Nowadays very few found it hard to feel bad about doing the immoral actions, this girl was clearly struggling, but she wasn't like those moral ones who stop. Something had made her fit outside the boxes of those who will do the right, and those who will do anything.

''What's your plan?''

''I don't know- the man they're going out to kill, the leader- he's family to us, Daryl and I, we can't let him die.'' She sighed, leaning back against the wall and resigning to holding her painful head in her hands. She was too tired to bother hiding it, besides it was most likely written on her face. Plus she didn't want to be thought of as some psycho with no reason.

''He's a good man?'' he looked up at her and she nodded slowly, he offered a hand and took her outside. Her head was totally in melt down mode. This was delusional right? Maybe concussion wasn't quite right. There was a truck and a willing companion. A suspicious truck and more suspicious companion. Her daddy said not to get in strange men's cars. But she got in anyway, feeling totally vulnerable but pulled on the belt nether less.

Michonne came back for the seventh time, there were still no signs. They had found a trunk of supplies in a shop in the town they thought they had last gone to. From the careful placement of it, it seemed Beth and Daryl knew they weren't coming back. But how was it possible to know that and have time to plan? Unless they ran away together. Michonne had that bitter thoughts a few times.

The noise of a restless ass kicker dissuade the thoughts, Beth wouldn't leave without the child, and Daryl wouldn't leave without Beth. The unity had been destroyed. Because no matter how far they looked or where they went they found nothing, and without Daryl looking was vastly pointless anyway. He was the tracker, but he couldn't track himself. Kenneth had come to sit on the bench they moved nearer to the gate. One of them was out her pretty much form their disappearance. Glenn and Tyreese went to all known communities nearby to scout around or find survivors to ask. They found ruins and dead people as of yet.

Kenneth felt useless, he was left with the baby a lot because he knew how to deal with her and Michonne was a more valuable seeker than he was. He was a new integrated member to the group, but he felt the absence no less significant. Daryl was the first of them he had met, threatening him over a baby. If he was being as protective now, at least Beth was in good hands.

There were obvious scenarios in their head. But no struggling seemed to have happened, and Daryl didn't give himself over easily to new people. There was no blood around there either, they had checked. So where were they?

Daryl had started scouting out, knowing the direction and shrugging off the slower men behind him so he felt less like her was waiting for an ambush. It was too late to turn back, part of him wondered if he could fast enough to warn them. The answer was no, he couldn't risk it. He hated feeling like a pawn in someone else's chest game. And before the night was through he was going to get back at these men. And his steps turned to thoughts.

''Why do you trust me?'' Beth looked at Abraham, they were stood in the circle the men had barely left.

''You said he was a good man, I trust your judgement.'' Abraham got out of the truck, looking at the ground and taking off in a jog toward the thick foliage, she followed behind, holding a singular knife, gun tucked into her belt. They moved through quickly until they got to train tracks, he looked up then and pointed into the distance. She nodded at him, breathing in, knowing it was their last break. And then they started running. And her footsteps turned to him.

And he thought of her. And she thought of him.

They thought of the long nights they spent together in this strange coupling, knowing it was all coming to crash against them and that they'd never catch a break so holding the chance to be sheltered and fed, with spare time with two hands. Opportunities are meant to be taken. He was tanned and rough, no part of him equalling the pale expanse of her. His muscles stood out where her gentle curves did. And somehow his gruffness complimented her pleasant optimism. Her hair hung off the edge of the mattress, chest rattling with small giggles as he only smirked to show the same level of emotion.

Being the antithesis of someone else would most normally lead to small fights between people, and the tensions in zombie land made those tensions into wars. But they didn't fight, they offered an escape of sorts. He hadn't had to be held, and she never learnt to suck up emotion until it was reasonable to express. And both were as important as the other. There was no doubt about that. No matter what either of them did they were prioritising getting back to the other.

Daryl kept moving, each swift footstep in front of another, and then he was stood there staring up at terminus. Beth was fast on his trail, pelting down the train tracks beside her new helper. Michonne and Kenneth both sat outside, staring at the gate in waning hope that they might appear in the darkness like nothing at all happened.

And right above him, in the distance and somewhere miles and miles away a single red burst called into the air. Signalling the beginning.

_**And so the next war begins…xxxx tell me your thoughts on what should happen **_


End file.
